


No Big Deal

by MontyKarl



Category: Bandom, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Panic At The Disco
Genre: Alternate Universe, Mpreg, Multi, Pregnant Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-04
Updated: 2012-02-04
Packaged: 2017-10-30 14:10:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 22,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/332592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MontyKarl/pseuds/MontyKarl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pete Wentz is a party boy and a bit of a slut....to be honest though, he never expected to get pregnant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the longest fic I've ever written, took me 9 months (oh the irony). Please enjoy and know I would love input or reviews. Happy reading.

So Pete's got a reputation as a bit of slut. He doesn't really sleep around much, it's mostly just a couple friends that he occasionally has sex with. Mostly Ryan, because Ryan doesn't mind staying afterward to have long drawn out conversations about the universe, even when they're sober. Still, he has a reputation, and will on occasion end up drinking or partying too hard in general and end up sleeping with some cute stranger from some party that Travis insisted he show up at.

Last night was one of those really fun times. However, waking up with a headache and an ass ache were not fun, really worrying considering Pete usually tops. For a moment as he opened his eyes and the dank midday sun hit his eyes, he thought that possibly Ryan had stayed over last night. But to no avail the bed beside him was empty and there were no scarves or flower print clothing laying around. He groaned and shut his eyes again, the clock said it was just after 1 in the afternoon and he'd got in after the sun was up, but with a headache like this he wasn't going to sleep.

He sat up, feeling the pressure change, the whooshing in his ear and pounding behind his eyes as his vision momentarily blacked out. He managed a stumbling bathroom stop and a pair of pajama pants before heading towards the kitchen where warm coffee and toast were the main goal. Luckily for him, Pete managed to share an apartment with the best, most loyal and amazing person he'd ever met, and that person happened to have made coffee and toast. Granted the toast was on his roommate's plate and Patrick was eating it, but Pete took a piece anyway and mumbled something back at the disgruntled noise as he attempted pouring coffee.

Pete sat with a wince and a glare as Patrick stifled a giggle, biting his lip in a very Patrick-manner. Pete just gulped at the coffee and attempted to eat the toast whole, deciding to talk around the mouthful, "Shut up, at least I get laid."

Patrick's smile faded a bit, and he rolled his eyes before he went back to whatever it was he was writing in a notebook. Pete knew it was going to be a long day.  
_________________________

One week later and Pete had no new leads on who he got lucky with at the party. Ryan says it wasn't him, he wasn't even there that night, he was on a spirit quest at Target. It wasn't William, William insists he's slept with no one but Gabe in the past two months, Gabe said it might have been him but probably not.

He just blew it off in the end, it wasn't a big deal and he was more interested in living in the moment these days anyhow. Living in the moment currently included no less than three shots of tequila and a slip'n'slide. Indoor slip'n'slide. With whipped cream.

_______________________

So gradually, he noticed his apprehension to keep up his party boy attitude. He still showed up, he still got up to his usual antics, but lately alcohol didn't sit well. He figured he'd just had one bad hangover too many and his body had decided to cut him off.

So he didn't really understand the random stomach aches, and migraines and occasional queasiness. Withdrawal was just about all he could come up with.

"Do I look pale? Or sick or green or something?" Patrick looked up from his laptop to scrutinize Pete, very obviously not taking this seriously.

"Nope, no more pale or green or purple than usual. Sick though?"

Pete nodded and sat down on the couch, slumping kind of sideways. He would have slumped on Patrick, but Patrick was sitting in his fancy Patrick-only chair, in which Patrick was to sit and Pete was to not sit. Which was just a load of bullcrap, Pete should get to sit in the chair if he wanted to, not that he really wanted to, but he should be allowed to. He was paying for half of the apartment with the checks his mom sent him, so half of the chair should be Pete-sitable. It wasn't though, and so he just pouted towards Patrick as he spoke, "Yeah, like flu or like death-disease or something."

"Pete, you aren't dying of death-disease, I promise." Pete just huffed, wanting to insist that he threw up twice that day, but then Patrick would make him go to a doctor and that was stupid.

"Yes I am, now fix it." Patrick sighed, shutting his laptop and staring at Pete with an expression that could only mean, 'Pete, we've been over this, i am not your mom or a doctor or a therapist, I'm not telling you to go away or feel bad, but you know i can't fix you'...or something along those lines, Pete was pretty sure.

So Pete just sighed and managed to get back to his room before his stomach wanted to try another upheaval. He fell asleep almost immediately and slept past dark, somehow sleepier when he woke up. Sleep being an almost rare occurrence, he took the chance for it and blew off another party, get together, inevitable orgy, whatever. Pete ended up sleeping until dawn the next day.  
__________________________

It takes a month. A whole 4 weeks before Pete realises that maybe it's not a flu, or a death-disease. He thinks about his tiredness, the fact that he ate a whole loaf of bread making toast, the vomiting, the fact that his nipples had been very sensitive and not in a 'oh yeah that's nice' way but in a 'touch them again Ryan and I will end your dick's life' way.

He's heard all about this before, from a few different friends he used to go to high school with that had finally settled down. He knew about it, and it didn't make it any less terrifying. It doesn't make him spend any less than an hour staring at the boxes on the health aisle at the Walgreens. It doesn't make his hand shake any less when he hands the cashier a twenty and barely got change back from buying so many different brands and types.

It didn't make him want to pee faster, and it certainly didn't help when Patrick walked into the bathroom as soon as the stream got started and Pete yelled and dropped the test in the toilet and ended up getting piss on the floor.

"SHIT! Sorry Pete!" The door slammed shut, and Pete tried to clean up before curling up on the edge of the bathtub, staring at the other test that didn't just fall into the toilet, sitting inside the box, looking perfectly harmless. Pete picked it up and threw it angrily at the wall.

It made a very noncommittal cracking noise before falling onto the floor, still in one piece. Pete glared at it.

"Pete?" Patrick's voice was slightly muffled through the plywood door, but the worry came through loud and clear. "Dude, I'm really sorry I walked in on you, it's not like this is the first time it's happened, I mean...fuck, we've showered together before."

Pete didn't bother listening to Patrick, he bothered with picking up the indestructible pregnancy test and bravely grabbing the one out of the toilet, shoving them into their box and under his hoodie before opening the door to a babbling Patrick.

"...not to mention the day we met when Gabe Saporta decided you should be pants-less-"

"Patrick."

"What?"

"It's cool." Pete forced a smile and went to hide under his covers for the rest of the night.

Sometime between 10pm and his stomach growling he swore he heard Patrick singing, but he wasn't really bothered with moving.  
__________________________

It took another two weeks before Pete could man up and try another test. He waited until Patrick had left for work and picked a cheaper brand. He even threw one at the wall and watched it crack before he tried this time, it seem sufficient enough.

Pete tried to sike himself up, he had the Eye of the Tiger playing in the living room and he could hear it even with the door shut in the bathroom (and locked, new habit).

He ended up spending a good 45 minutes glaring at his face in the mirror, he looked like a fucking teenager and it was pissing him off. He got rid of the fucking blackheads and greasy skin when he was 19, and he didn't like it anymore at 26. He knew he was pregnant okay, but there was a chance. It could be a fluke. He could be so convinced he was that his body was mimicking it, maybe it was stress from thinking he was pregnant, and that made him laugh.

Hell, he laughed the entire time he peed on the little stick, and the few minutes he had to wait and made a burrito in the microwave, he laughed while he ate the burrito and watched an episode of myth busters. He laughed while he wasn't procrastinating at all. He was even still chipper when Patrick came home and he ran into the bathroom to hide the evidence.

He kind of stopped laughing at the little pink plus sign, and the pink dot, and the word positive. He threw up in the sink, so much for eating a burrito. He cleaned the sink, he splashed his face, he got the tests together and threw them all away, tied the trash up, and took it out. Not bothering to notice the weird look he got from Patrick. He watched tv for a few more minutes before it became unbearable to sit there, flipping channels, "A Baby Story", "Baby animals: Inside The Miracle Of Life", "Homer, I'm Pregnant!", "So I walk up to dat fineass bitch and go DAMN GURL U BIG! She goes, bitch it's yo baby!".

He fell asleep crying and holding his stomach.


	2. Chapter 2

Pete went on with what he normally would do. For the most part. He went to the movies with William and Gabe, but left before they hit the club. He showed up at Travis' Happy Tuesday party, but didn't smoke and didn't drink. As far as normal goes though, he even ended up at Ryan's place.

Pete made him turn out the lights before sex, which prior to his experiences as a teenager, it was still awkward and..well dark. Ryan said he understood, it was symbolic of finding each other. Which, no, not really the point but it made Ryan happy.

Pete hadn't looked at himself naked since the positive test. Hell, he even tried a couple more and barely flinched when they were positive. There was, however, no way in hell he was going to stand there and poke at his stomach in the mirror, he knew he was a little obsessive with his looks.

Anyway, 69, Pete could do that in the dark. He could deal with Ryan's squirming below him, and the occasional instance where Ryan's cock slipped and hit his cheek or eye or whatever. What he could not deal with, was Ryan stopping to say, "Have you gained weight?" as he poked at Pete's thigh.

Pete managed to frog Ryan's thigh as he rolled off of him and out of bed to find his clothes. This created two problems; one being he couldn't see and ended up falling on his face. The second problem was, as he finally managed to pull his shirt and jeans on and Ryan manged to move again and flip the lights on, he was still painfully hard. Naked Ryan sitting on the bed, looking kind of confused and lightly stroking himself, yeah that was inviting.

"Dude, I respect your expressing yourself, but that hurt...what the fuck, Pete?" Then Pete remembered what Ryan had said, and he flipped him off and left.

Pete took a bath when he got home, Patrick was out, so he stayed in extra long, getting himself off twice. When the water was too cold and scummy to bear he stood up and rinsed, draining the tub.

When he stepped out, toweling off his hair and caught himself in the half fogged mirror, he could see his stomach, barely not as flat as before, but he could see it. If he looked really close, he could see it. He could feel it and see it, and he pressed in on his tummy and it was hard like a basketball, and he really didn't feel different physically. He didn't look like he'd gained weight other than his ass looking rounder and his hips fuller. But it was real, and he felt himself tearing up when the front door shut and he threw his clothes on and ran off to his room. He ended up locking his door and spending the hour before he drifted off looking at and poking his stomach.  
__________________________

Patrick made breakfast the next morning. He made has browns and toast and some vegatarian alternative to bacon, and coffee. Perfect coffee, the kind you make wide awake and measure meticulously for. Patrick just smiles tiredly at him as he practically devours everything, asks him why Ryan called and asked if Pete was okay.

Pete just swallows a mouthful of coffee and shrugs. He gets a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach, not like 'oh fuck, gonna puke' feeling, just a feeling. Like when you say the wrong thing to the wrong person and know your ass is about to get beat down.

"You alright?" Patrick asks lightly, and laughs some, "You look kind of purple."

Pete looks up to him and glares, and Patrick stops laughing. Pete leaves for his room again, spending an hour to get dressed, based solely on staring at his stomach and his thighs and his chin and thinking that he shouldn't have eaten everything he just did, and simultaneously feeling his stomach growl for more. He ended up in his loosest jeans and his biggest hoodie and he left to go find Mikey without telling Patrick.  
_________________________

Mikey is thankfully home and not at all upset at Pete's early (still am) and unannounced arrival. He invites him in without asking questions, just a polite, "Hey!" and a warning that his brother is asleep on the couch so they'll have to chill in his room for awhile.

"He really thought this was gonna be the one." Mikey told Pete as they shifted to be comfortable on Mikey's bed, "Like, and then he goes and says that he just wanted to mess around with someone and he's actually with this girl and he's 'super serious' with her." Air quotes included.

Pete nodded, understanding. He didn't feel like bringing up his woes at the moment, and he had a feeling Mikey knew Pete was stalling for some reason or another. They'd dated on and off for a couple of years, but ended up being better friends than anything, "So Frank says, 'get your ass off of my porch, you're pathetic', and shuts the fucking door in Gee's face. So I end up driving across town at 3am to pick up my heartbroken brother and," Mikey sighs, "didn't really sleep much and by the looks of it, neither did you, and here we are. So what's up?"

"Oh the usual, Gabe says 'hi', I'm pregnant, Patrick made coffee this morning that you would have killed for-" Mikey of course, cuts him off.

"Baby."

"What?"

"Babies, puppies, kittens. Pete you're having kittens." When Pete looks up to Mikey from the Star Wars comforter he had been picking at, Mikey's expression is wide-eyed and worried and serious and confused all at once. It's honestly the most expressive Pete's ever seen him.

Pete just stared back in awe and mumbled, "I'm having kittens."

Mikey blinked and his expression relaxed some, "Sooo...who's the baby's daddy?"

Pete frowned and look back down at where his nails were slowly unravelling Darth Vader's cape.

"Pete." He didn't look back up. "I'm not gonna disown you if it was Ryan Ross okay...."

"I don't know."

"You don't know that I'm not going to disown you or-"

"I don't fucking know for sure, okay? I do not know who fucked me up!" Mikey made no move to flinch at Pete's words, quite the contrary he looked like he might laugh. "What? What's so fucking funny?"

"Fucked me up in this situation sounds like knocked up plus fucked and it's ju-"

"IT'S NOT FUCKING FUNNY!" Pete was seething and, what's that? Crying? Okay, that too now. There was a knock at the door and a sleep ridden, tear-soaked Gerard Way stood frowning at the door opened.

"You know what's really not fucking funny? Being woken up by someone yelling at 10am after you got dumped-" He cut himself off from anything else he might say, and just turned and left, hand hiding his eyes.

Mikey huffed and looked at the door and back to Pete, standing before saying, "It's Ryan's, tell him, go get a baby doctor. Call me, we can talk but I can't be your nurse because obviously..already have one emotional wreck y'know?" Pete just glared and left before he started crying again.

He ended up at an In-and-Out burger, ordering enough for 5 people at least, and eating most of it in his car in the parking lot crying. He wasn't ready for any of this, he didn't want any of this, and pickles smelled weird and he just wanted to wake up from this nightmare.


	3. Chapter 3

He doesn't tell Ryan, he doesn't call Mikey, he avoids Patrick but he does get an appointment with a prenatal doctor. He goes in for his appointment at 2:30pm, he likes afternoon doctor's visits, they don't feel as sterile or strict as early morning and he's trying to keep himself comfortable. He's taken to wearing an old grey pair of Patrick's sweats he stole from the wash so he doesn't have to worry about real pants.

The doctor's nice, her name is Dr.Ruth and she's been working in prenatal and birth care for 12 years. It seems like things might be okay. She asks him the standard check up questions then she asks when he thinks he conceived, if he's had other doctors before her, if he's been taking vitamins or has been pregnant before. She has to hand him a box of tissues halfway through when he can't fucking stop his blubbering. He hates being overly emotional, she says it's perfectly normal and that since he's gone so long without a doctor that she wants to do an ultrasound, just to see if everything is going along the way it should and further help determine how far along he is.

It's cold and wet and uncomfortable and he makes a poor joke about his first time and she just laughs and so does the technician, and then he sees a little black squiggly thing on the screen. And his heart thumps and his head wooshes a bit and she's having the equipment packed up before he can process much of anything.

She draws blood and he doesn't really notice, she writes prescriptions and he nods and she asks about the father and he winces and ducks his head and she just pats his shoulder and reassures him that he's not alone. That she has another single patient who's a bit father along than he is, named Ashlee and she's doing just fine. He doesn't want to believe her, he just nods and leaves.  
_________________________

He gets his prescriptions filled at the same damn Walgreens that started this all. It didn't really, but Pete likes blaming inanimate things and corporations. It's a 15 minute wait for his vitamins and he spends it staring at the cheap onesies and baby bottles and binkies and discount formula and diaper wipes and he rubs as his tummy subconsciously. The cashier, he thinks, smirks a bit when she hands over his pills. He just kind of smiles back.

He takes another long bath that night, mostly because his back is aching and his feet kind of hurt too and he considers conning Patrick into a massage. And it hits him.

Patrick. Patrick should know, because Patrick can fix things, no matter what his expressions say. Patrick will know how to tell Ryan, and how to make Pete feel better and then, unlike with Mikey, he'll have someone to gush over how much he's actually happy with being pregnant with.

He pulls on old fuzzy pajama bottoms that had already been a bit small before and kind of press into his stomach, but he ignores it, and an old red hoodie before flouncing into the living room and promptly sitting down on Patrick's lap. The chair creaks some and Pete chooses to ignore it.

"Pete."

"Yep?"

"You're breaking the rule of no sitting in my chair."

"I'm sitting on you. You're sitting in the chair, it doesn't count." Patrick sighs.

"This chair can't hold two people."

"Yes it can, I've had sex in it before, it'll be just fine, I have something to ask you." Patrick lets his grimace fade before replying.

"What is it this time Pete?"

"Okay so....say that I'm pregnant and I need to tell Ryan, how would I do that?" Patrick just blinks at Pete like he's a dumbass, which granted he is, but it's not answering his question. Pete pokes Patrick impatiently.

"Uhm...."

"Do you think he loves me enough to stay?" Pete did NOT mean to ask that, but there it goes, slipping out into the conversation.

"Do you love him enough to want him to stay?" And Pete falters, not really wanting to hear the resounding, 'No', inside his head. "Fuck..Pete..you..you're pregnant." Pete doesn't say anything, he kind of knows that already, he still doesn't have his fucking answer, "I would...just...tell him in person, and not during sex."

"Okay..."

"Does anyone else know?"

"Mikey." And Patrick snorts.

"Figures..." Pete just rolls his eyes and sighs.

"You're my roomie so you kind of have to love me enough to stay right?" And something twitches in Patrick's lips before he smiles.

"Yeah, I guess I'm kind of stuck here unless I want a shittier apartment or a shittier roomate. This doesn't mean I'm your nurse-maid though."

Pete just grinned wide and kissed Patrick's cheek, "You sure? Because I'd let you massage my feet...."

"How could I pass that up?" Patrick rolled his eyes but nudged at Pete's hip, "If you sit on the couch I will, but don't expect this everyday okay?" Pete just jumped to the couch, feet propping up easily in Patrick's lap and he hummed happily as Patrick's calloused fingers worked out the past 10 weeks of stress. He just sat there and thought about Ryan stay with him, maybe they'd officially get together, or maybe Mikey and him would try again, or he'd stay single and proud like this Ashlee chick. Most of all he thought about the weird grainy black and white image on the screen and how his hands were automatically resting over the barely there bump. baby bump. Pete was having a baby, and he smiled.  
____________________________

The next two weeks went great as far as Pete was concerned. Other than deciding pickles and lettuce and peanut butter went on whole wheat bread and sleeping most of the day (that wasn't spent eating or peeing or complaining to Patrick). Patrick had been working later and later at the packaging company that he hates, but pays well for the work he does. He spent most of the day putting labels on boxes and constructing boxes and transporting boxes and labels that were made wrong back to their stations to be recycled or disposed of properly. It sounded really boring to Pete and he never asked what he did again.

Patrick's real dream job was to get paid to write music, and he was on occasion, but it didn't exactly bring in the rent every month. Pete always said he should go for it anyway, and Patrick always ignored him.

Patrick came home at 11pm and practically fell into bed. Pete just sighed and finished watching Family Guy before deciding that he should sleep too. He didn't want to though, and even being tired it seemed like his usual sleep pattern was trying to return.

Pete didn't know why he did it, other than wanting to or feeling lonely, but he ended up on the other side of Patrick's bed, watching him sleep until he drifted off himself.  
__________________________

Pete woke up slowly with a sense of forgetting something and having to pee. He remembered when he opened his eyes and saw a sleepy-eyed Patrick smiling at him.

"Hey."

"Hey? No 'good morning Patrick, I'm in your bed because..'?"

"Uhm, " Pete smiled back slightly, "I don't know..."

"Okay, well the next time you want to share my bed you should probably ask."

"Yeah, probably..." Pete sighed and sat up to leave, only to have Patrick grab his arm, making him stay.

"Have you told Ryan yet?" Pete huffed and pulled his arm away, standing up and pulling his shirt down over his stomach. For the most part he wasn't that big yet, but all of his overly tight jeans stopped fitting awhile ago. Pete had been stuck wearing sweats and pajama bottoms and it was starting to piss him off. He needed to go shopping.

"No..."

"What about your mom?" Pete winced.

"No."

"You need to tell them." Pete just nodded and left to go shower, which he spent the majority of crying in the corner of the tub.


	4. Chapter 4

Pete got some stretchy waist jeans that looked like regular jeans, but actually fit, and it was pretty awesome. Patrick even told him that they didn't make his ass look big, which was probably a lie because his ass had to be 10 pounds heavier. Either way, it was something that brightened his day, and then he realized that pants made his day better and that made him kind of sad, but he still had the pants and so he was still pretty happy. Pretty happy until he decided he was just going to go to Ryan's, sit him down, and let him know.

Pete wore one of his larger hoodies in case he chickened out and decided to hide for a bit longer.  
____________________________

He spent a good 10 minutes stalling at Ryan's door until his old lady neighbor kept peeking her head out of her apartment and looked like she was about to call the cops on him. He knocked and waited, after a few more minutes and another glare from the biddy he turned to go. Just so happened Ryan decided to open the door then, wearing a pair of green pants, barefoot, shirtless, and face painted with red and blue streaks. Pete didn't bother asking as he invited himself inside.

Ryan looked fidgety as they sat on the couch, "So, what brings you back here after the blow out? I'd have thought you needed more time to re-center yourself...."

Pete sighed, "I kind of have some news..." Pete's heart started thumping heavily. Ryan waited, staring at Pete and occasionally glancing to a point slightly past Pete. So he just sighed and came out with it, "I'm pregnant."

Ryan's eyes widened slightly, but then he glanced past Pete again and smiled. Pete turned to see another brown haired guy standing, wearing what looked like a colorful bed sheet as a toga, face painted with the same colors as Ryan's, but like a child's face-painted-cat look. Pete was very confused.

"Brendon, guess what?" The guy smiled and walked over, sitting down between them.

"What Ryry?" Ryan blushed, or it seemed that way under the paint.

"Pete here's going to have a baby, " Ryan glanced to Pete, "Brendon loves-"

Brendon gasped and turned wide-eyed to Pete, "I love babies!", and Ryan just smiled and nodded. Brendon's hands shot to Pete's stomach, feeling for the bump through his hoodie, and started talking a mile a minute, "How far along are you? Boy or Girl? If it's a girl you should name her Summer. My mom had a bunch of babies after me and they always kicked harder when I sang at them, is yours kicking yet?"

"Brendon!" Brendon quieted and pulled his hands away, looking back to Ryan.

"Yeah?"

"I think you should calm down and go back to the bedroom." Ryan suddenly looked a little distant, much like Pete who was sitting in shock. Brendon whined like a puppy, but stood and left anyway. Ryan glanced at Pete once he'd left, eyebrows creased. "You...you think it's mine don't you?"

Pete sighed and nodded.

"It's not." Pete glared, "No, don't..it can't be. You always topped and we were always protected, I don't-" Ryan stopped talking and looked at the floor worriedly.

"Yeah, I know..but you're the only person it could be, becaus-"

"Because you don't go and get fucked by random strangers?" The words were biting and the bit hard, Pete was happy he didn't really cry at the drop of a hat anymore. Ryan sighed and he looked apologetic when he spoke again, " I'm sorry Pete, but ...it just can't be mine. And I don't really think I want to be your fuck buddy anymore, I mean...not because of this exactly, but Brendon and I-"

"I don't care, it's whatever." Pete stood and walked to the door, turning back just to say, "You know it could be yours, you know there's a chance and it scares you. You know what else though? I'm scared too, because it's not something I can just decide I don't want to be a part of...I waited too late for that opt-out."

Ryan stood and walked towards Pete, pulling him into a hug that surprised the hell out of Pete. It took him a few seconds to realize he could hug back and by then Ryan was pulling away. He left his hands resting on each side of Pete's bump, staring down at it, "There are tests right? I can do that maybe, and if it's mine-"

Ryan stopped short, letting his hands fall away as he looked back up to Pete's face, " Then we'll figure this out...but now I need to get back to Brendon and you....you keep me updated alright?"

Pete just nodded, feeling somehow relieved as he left Ryan's place and went home. He called his mom next, and she was calmer about it than he'd expected. She made him promise to keep her updated as well, and tried to figure out her schedule to spend as much time as possible helping take care of him. They stayed on the phone for hours until he managed to talk her down to monthly visits and then weekly ones once he made it to his 9th month. She's worried, but excited and plans on throwing a baby shower, and Pete couldn't be happier to hear her plans for her grandchild.

After that he got a call from Travis and had to turn down another party invite from him, but this time he just said, 'can't I'm preggers', and Travis sounded like he didn't believe him but didn't ask much more about it. Pete checked his appointment card for the next doctor's trip, made a peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwich and two microwave corn dogs, and cleaned up around the house and ended up watching a How It's Made marathon for a few hours.

Patrick came in at almost 12am, surprised to see Pete. "You're up late."

"You're home late."

"I offered to do some bookkeeping, what's up?"

Pete yawned and offered, "I'll tell you tomorrow." Patrick nodded and went to his room.

Pete spent a few minutes in his own, but after turning onto his right side for the third time in 5 minutes he got up and went to Patrick's bedroom, knocking lightly at the door frame.

"Pete?" Patrick's voice was muffled and sleepy and Pete nodded back though he couldn't be seen in the dark as he walked and crawled into the bed, curling up next to Patrick.

"Can I stay here again tonight?" Patrick mumbled something that sounded approving and shifted a little closer. Pete doesn't remember falling asleep, only that it didn't happen long after that.  
____________________________

 

Pete woke up too early the next day and ended up calling the birth clinic and asking about paternity testing. He ended up having to Google it later though. For the rest of the week Pete tried not to think about, tried to focus on eating healthier so that if he did end up having 5 servings of everything, it at least seemed like it was okay inside his head. Most nights he spent either falling asleep on the couch and ending up on the other side of Patrick's bed, or trying to sleep in his own and glaring at his pillow when it didn't try and hug him.

He hadn't really thought about it since his last doctor visit, but his due date was going to be late November, and Pete realized that it was only four and a half months away. He hadn't realized so much time had passed by, well, he supposed he could. He wondered from time to time if he should take a picture of his baby bump each day like the moms and dads of the Internet have taken to doing, but they didn't look terrible and they usually had their significant other do it for them. He didn't want to document how ugly he felt or how lonely he was.

He spent most of that week having hot flashes that he got to blame on the heat of summer and trying to make the apartment look less like he lived there and more like Patrick lived there. Or cleaner, whatever. Pete was cleaning because of his mom mostly, she was coming over the next day and that's when it hit him, it was only two more days until his birthday. He'd lost track of so much time worrying and avoiding things that he almost forgot about his own birthday.

He checked his phone and e-mail immediately after this revelation, finding his voice mail and inbox full, asking about birthday plans, invites to parties, people asking if he'd died. It was insane, how many people had no idea what he was going though.

Solution: mass text. He sent it out saying, 'small get 2gether 4 my bday, no drinking no drugs just hugs & a surprise'. It took a surprisingly long amount of time to actually write it out. Once he'd sent it, Pete felt a strange sense of relief, he wasn't there yet but he was closer to it.


	5. Chapter 5

His mom shows up around 10am on his birthday and fusses over him basically all day. She gave him more vitamins, lotions for stretch marks, and this weird shaped pillow that he wasn't sure what to do with. Asking about it only made him worry about his future self.

"No baby things?" Pete asked, looking over the random assorted items his mom had brought.

"No, saving that for the baby shower. Those are because of your birthday." And Pete nodded, trying not to be disappointed that all he got for his birthday from his parents was stretch mark cream and a hemorrhoid pillow.

"Did you tell dad yet?" His mom paused momentarily where she was, fluffing a pillow before making him stick it under his feet.

"He took it alright, considering. Hilary and Andrew know too at this point, sorry. You know me and baby gossip." She smiled and sat next to him, and he smiled too. Patrick must of had today off because he took that moment to show up with a paper bag in one hand, one Pete knew to be from the local record place, and a plastic sack from Panda Express. Pete immediately shot up, practically lunging for the sack of food and Patrick let him take it to the kitchen, knowing not to get in the way of a hungry, pregnant person.

"Oh, hi!" Patrick waved a little awkwardly towards Pete's mom, and she just smiled back at him as he wandered off to his room. Pete sat back down next to his mom, styrofoam container full of rice and broccoli&beef balancing lightly over his bump (it wasn't really big enough to be a table yet, but he had to work around it while sitting and eating). He smiled at how it seemed to come in handy as a little table. He's probably change his mind when it got even bigger however.

"Soooo...." Pete's mom trailed off slowly, dragging out the word as though she'd drag out whatever it was she was waiting for.

"So what?" Pete asked around a mouthful of chewy beef. His mom just sighed and asked.

"Who's the father?" Pete's heart sank to fill his stomach and he pushed his food away. His mom just sighed again and reached over to rub his shoulder lightly.

"I don- Okay, so...It's not like I don't know who it is...but...I have no idea who it is." He looked to his mom who had a concerned look but nodded for him to continue, "You know about me and Ryan and everything, right?"

His mom only nodded again and he continued quickly, "So, I figured it was him, but he says there's no way it was him and to a certain extent I have to agree because I mean, he never topped, "Pete winced slightly and blushed some before continuing, "but if it's not him....then I have little to no idea who it could be..."

"Don't....worry too much about it Peter, I mean....You'll figure this out, we'll figure this out." And Pete nodded, knowing that there was doubt in his mother's words, but it was something he'd been waiting to hear and he didn't push it.  
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His mom left late the night before, upset she wasn't able to be around on his birthday, but he didn't mind. The day seemed to drag on until Travis showed up, looking thoroughly upset to see that Pete was serious about the no drinking and no drugs policy.

"I didn't say 'no sex' so it can still be fun." Travis snorted, rolling his eyes, only to have them come to a stop on the bump pushing out slightly under Pete's shirt. His eyes widened and he dropped to his knees, reaching out and lifting the shirt. Pete pushed it back down angrily, glaring at Travis.

"Dude....there's a baby in there." Travis' eyes were still wide, staring at Pete's stomach.

Pete sighed and nodded, " Told you I was preggers." Travis nodded but then shook his head, not completely believing this still. "You know...while you're down there you can always blow me."

Travis just snorted again lightly, hand reaching up to poke at Pete's belly. There was another knock at the door and Pete slapped Travis' hand away to open it, finding a (for the most part) normally clothed Ryan and bouncy Brendon. Brendon whom, with no invitation shot inside and started saying stupid things like, "You have a really nice apartment, Pete! I like your shirt, Bowie's awesome! You definitely have the pregnant glow." All while smiling and it just made Pete really angry.

Ryan sighed and said, "Hey.", awkwardly leaning in to half hug Pete and hand him a Starbucks gift card. A few more people showed up, Gabe brought his whole gang with him, and by gang I mean he has a gang called Cobra Crew and they were all pretty upset that there was no 'getting wasted' tonight. He of course brought William along, and William was the first to point out that Pete pregnant. No one acted very surprised other than Gabe. ( "Can we name it after me?" "No." "What if I'm it's daddy though!?" "You aren't" "I could be." "Gabe I swear to god." "I'm Jewish" "Shut up that changes nothing.") Mikey called, apologizing for his absence, which was okay seeing as this was mostly just to let people know he was pregnant.

He met a couple of new friends through Gabe's posse, Nate and Alex, ("No, it's Nasty and Suarez, get it right or go home.") and they were pretty cute together. Alex kept asking Pete about the baby, pointedly nudging Nate every so often. Nate seemed to not even realise how together they both were, but Alex said that really they were so in love they'd reached the 'comfortable' stage. Pete was starting to remember why he avoided all of Gabe's friends.

No one else showed up and no one really stayed long other than Ryan and Brendon to Pete's displeasure. They waited until everyone else had managed to sneak away to another party or a club or bar to start talking with him.

"If the baby is my Ryry's I promise he'll be the best daddy ever, okay?" Brendon kind of made Pete want to rent a jackhammer and kill him with it. Unfortunately jackhammers and prison sentences weren't in his budget.

"Brendon, maybe you should go wait in the hall." Ryan commented and Brendon sighed reluctantly, turning to leave, but not before quickly reaching out and patting Pete's stomach. Ryan sighed in Brendon's wake and apologized, "Sorry, he's....really...something." Ryan smiled and laughed lightly.

Pete didn't laugh, and Ryan looked like he wanted to say something else, something more, but it didn't work out right to reach his mouth and he ended up saying, "I'm gonna...go...happy birthday, Pete."

Pete watched him leave and sighed, sitting down on the couch and finding half a pretzel under his ass, he tossed it onto the table and wondered about what Ryan had wanted to say.  
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Patrick didn't come home as late as he had been, which was nice. He was slightly surprised to see that everyone had left already, and Pete just kind of agreed, not wanting to think about it. Patrick walked to his room only to come back almost immediately, holding the same paper bag Pete had seen the day before. He sat down and handed it to Pete, smiling lightly, "Happy Birthday."

Pete took the paper bag, opening it to find, not a CD or a record as expected, but a baby onesie. It was black and on the front was a cassette tape and an ipod labeled 'daddy' and 'me' and Pete couldn't stop smiling. Patrick sighed, "I know...it's probably really stupid, but...I mean...they were all kind of stupid, but I thought you'd like that one at least."

"I love it." Pete said, only slightly just to cut Patrick off. "My mom said that baby things were for baby showers though..."

"Oh..I...well, I'll just have to get something else for the baby then and try and think of a way for making up this birthday present?"

"No! No..I mean...this is still awesome, dude you didn't even have to get me anything and it would have been fine, seriously."

Patrick sighed and nodded, smiling again. Pete looked back at the small piece of clothing before leaning to kiss Patrick's cheek. It made Patrick blush and Pete felt like it had been a happy birthday after all.


	6. Chapter 6

Pete had stopped sleeping in Patrick's bed, he wasn't sure why he had been, but he just had. He was having more body issues again, he thought maybe that was why. He dreaded showering or getting dressed in something different, anything that made him have to see the weight he'd accumulated. He spent a whole day within the next week hauled up in his room crying because he wanted to starve himself. He hated going out to his doctor's appointment more than anything, to see the glares of people, or at least he thought, staring at him like the fact that he was going through this wasn't enough.

He was craving coffee that day, and everyone (his mom) kept telling him that caffeine was bad for the baby, which was just great sitting in a waiting room with a coffee machine. The appointment went pretty normal, he was asked if he wanted to know the sex of the baby, but it wasn't a 100 percent thing as much as it would have been guessing so he said he'd wait. He regretted it as soon as the machine was turned off.

He ended up talking to Ashlee, the other single parent-to-be after his appointment. She was nice and cute if Pete might say so. Well, the 6 month baby bump was kind of off-putting but Pete was lonely. They ended up exchanging numbers and she told him that all four of them should hang out sometime, and Pete wasn't sure if she was flirting or being friendly at that point. Pete was pretty sure that winking at her wasn't being friendly either, but he didn't care.

He was actually feeling pretty good about himself the rest of the day, until he saw a missed call from Ryan and realized he ate a whole bag of cheese puffs. Then it was right back into hermit mode for the remainder of the week.  
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On Tuesday Patrick decided he had to make Pete get out of bed, which entailed bravely entering Pete's room. Last time this was attempted without food things got scary. The room was dark and from what could be seen, messy. Pete looked to be asleep, but Patrick came in and turned on the bedside lamp anyway. Pete groaned and burrowed into his sheets, "Don't look at me I'm hideous."

Patrick sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. "No you aren't."

Pete shuffled out from under his blankets, unwashed hair sticking up at odd angles. "Yeah I am, and I'm fat too."

Patrick tried not to glare at Pete, "You aren't hideous and you aren't fat."

"Am too." Pete countered pushing his blankets down further, exposing his naked torso and poking at his stomach, "I have stretch marks."

"What..dude...those?" Patrick nodded to the small, light, almost silvery lines that were framing Pete's sides. "Those aren't even the worst okay, those look like a werewolf scratched you or something, they're cool."

Pete's lips twitched up amused, "Did you just say my stretch marks were cool?"

"Did it make you feel better?"

"Little bit..."

"Then yeah, I totally just said that. And you don't look fat, you look healthy."

"Okay now you're lying, stop." Pete pouted, turning onto his side and curling against Patrick the best he could. Patrick just sighed, letting his hand comb through Pete's unruly hair. "You're the only one who doesn't think I'm ugly and fat right now okay...it's hard to believe you."

"Yeah well...I doubt that, and also I know what you mean...I've spent most of my life being ugly and fat so.."

Pete sat up immediately, glaring at Patrick. Patrick just raised an eyebrow back, "Dude, you aren't fat or ugly. I've told you you're cute before."

Patrick rolled his eyes, "Yeah that's...really...look okay, I get it I'm cute....but if you had the choice between cute and sexy, what do you choose?"

"Uhhh....I take what I can get because no one's touched me in months?" Patrick blinked slowly at Pete with a condescending look. Pete slumped, "I'd choose sexy..."

"Exactly, but..no okay, this isn't about me. You got Ashlee's number didn't you? That's...something."

"Yeah, but dude..can you imagine two pregnant people having sex?"

Patrick's face screwed up as did, "Well...that could be..weird."

"Yeah and probably dangerous." Pete added, wrapping his arms around his stomach.

"It's gives a whole new meaning to 'Baby Bump'." Patrick added, still trying to wipe the image from his mind. Pete couldn't help the braying laughter he was emitting. He laughed so hard he fell back onto the bed, arms still wrapped around his stomach.

He stopped suddenly, eyes widening. Patrick tentatively prompted, "Pete?"

Pete just gaped into space for a moment before looking up to Patrick. "I felt it."

Patrick's eyebrows creased, "Felt what Pete?"

"I...the..my baby...I felt it...I swear I did okay..." Pete's eyes were now fixed on his abdomen, hands moving gently across it, expression adoring as he mumbled, "C'mon, do it again, that was awesome."

"Sure it wasn't just gas?" Pete glared at Patrick for a moment before looking back at his stomach, "Sorry...you just..you complained about it the other day...but that's amazing Pete."

Pete's smile returned full force and he nodded, pressing lightly into part of his stomach, "So I'm not ugly?"

"Nope." Patrick smiled down at Pete, fingers twitching to touch Pete's belly, but he knew he probably couldn't feel anything even if they baby kicked really hard right now.

"Okay...I think I'm gonna call Ashlee."

"What about Baby Bumping?" Pete snorted again.

"No dude..like, I can be just friends with people, I mean, we don't have sex and we're cool right?"

"Yeah." Patrick's tone was something Pete couldn't really figure out, but it didn't sound that bad so he just took the words for face value, "Well, I should go to work and...good luck with Ashlee..."

Patrick stood quickly and Pete practically jumped out of bed (ha), hugging him before he left. He pulled away smiling and Patrick just smiled back as he left. Pete sat back down, rubbing over his stomach again, feeling it flutter but not in the same way.  
____________________

 

Pete made sure he was bathed and primped before even calling Ashlee, just in case. It rang 8 times and he was about to hang up thinking she was ignoring him or busy or something, but she answered. She sounded flustered but bright as she asked, "Hello, Pete?"

"Uhh, yeah hi....is this a bad time I can totall-"

"No, not..well...Just getting ready for Lamaze...first class and I can't find anyone who'll drive me today...."

"Oh...uhhh...-"

"So I don't really...I mean..Hi."

"Hey....uhm, like I could drive you, if that's not too weird."

"Would you? Oh my god, you'd be my savior and I'll rub your back or something, if you rub mine first though because my neck is killing me." Ashlee laughed lightly after she spoke, it was bright and bubbly and Pete smiled for it.

"Yeah, sure just...I guess give me an address and I'll be on my way?" Pete wrote down the address meticulously, and assured her, he'd be there soon. Which maybe he shouldn't have done after getting lost twice before realizing he knew exactly what street she lived on refused to stop inwardly cursing himself. She looked happy and glowy and kind of bigger around (as far as babies go) than when they'd met, but he could just be perceiving things wrong. He couldn't help thinking that she was beautiful though, and she sure as hell didn't look pregnant other than the inevitable bump.

Ashlee told him how she was about 26 weeks along and how she had bought a cute sundress and grown right out of it, and how she had the crib set up and had to do it herself which wasn't the easiest thing in the world, but all in all she was pretty happy. It kind of gave Pete hope that maybe he'd be happy in a couple months too. The class was pretty small, mostly female, mostly further along than he was, but he was invited to stay if he wanted by the director. The time was spent with introductions, but before they left they all got to watch a fun video about natural childbirth and cesarean sections, Half of the class actually excused themselves to the restroom. Pete wasn't quite sure how he didn't throw up himself, and he can honestly say he's not as happy as he was before the class started.

After class, Ashlee stayed to chat with a few other people, and Pete ended up standing by the pretzels at the refreshment table, smiling and feeling light flutters here and there. It felt like something he had been used to all his life and at the same time something so amazingly strange it was practically a phenomenon.

On the way back to Ashlee's place, he told her about starting to feel the baby and she smiled with that kind of knowing smile. She ended up inviting him in to show off the crib and the baby clothes and told him she wasn't going to find out the gender until birth. Family tradition. They even spent some time talking about things other than babies, like how she was actually from Texas and that her fiance wanted her to come live with him. Then she made the move found out she was pregnant and he decided that maybe, in addition to moving, they should see other people. She decided she should set his clothing on fire.

Pete decided then to never fuck with Ashlee.

It got late faster than Pete would have liked, and he was starting to get hungry so he ended up saying his goodbyes. There was an awkward type of lull at the door after they'd said goodbye but Pete hadn't quite left yet, that was broken when Ashlee's baby started to kick and she laughed and Pete laughed and swore he felt another flutter. He ended up waving to her and her stomach, and she returned the favor, adding a quick kiss on the cheek right before he turned to go. Pete smiled the entire drive home and ended up getting lost again, but he considered it just a pleasant detour this time.


	7. Chapter 7

"Do you think you need to get a bigger apartment?" That was not the 'hello' Pete was expecting when Patrick got home, the apartment guides tossed at him were also not the hug he kinda wanted.

"Uhh..."

"Shit, I know, I'm sorry, I was just thinking about that-"

"You don't have to, it's cool.."

"I don't have to do a lot of things I do, but I do them because I care and I worry and..." Patrick shrugged and sat heavily in his chair, rubbing his temples with the thumb and forefinger of his right hand. Pete liked Patrick's hands, they were stronger than they looked.

"I just figured I'd stay here, like unless you don't want me here." Pete sat on the couch and automatically reached to pull his shirt back down. Patrick sat up straighter and looked at him.

"Pete, if I didn't want you here I'd have kicked you out after the first time you peed in the shower and just left it there." Pete huffed and patted over his stomach, trying to convey that 'hey, not only me here'. Something in Patrick's expression shifted, but it stayed on Pete, "And do you really think I'm going to kick you out because you're pregnant, or are you just having a moment of extreme retardation?"

Pete scoffed, almost a laugh, "I don't know, you're the one throwing apartment guides at me."

"Okay, sorry, alright? I just thought- I don't know." And Patrick shook his head slightly and looked away finally. "Did you have a good day with Ashlee?"

Pete perked back up immediately, telling him about what all went on up until his stomach growled and Patrick offered to take him out for Taco Bell since he looked so nice today. Which made Pete kind of blush and his stomach growl more, and it just so happened he was craving some fourth meal.  
__________________________________

It was nice eating out with Patrick, even if it was just Taco Bell. They hadn't really talked in forever, or joked or just done anything that didn't directly relate to Patrick's job or sleep or the baby and now they didn't have to talk about that shit. Well, they didn't really after Patrick argued he'd pay for them both and that Pete couldn't use fire sauce because he'd get indigestion. After that though they just complained about the terrible music that was pumping through the speakers and how the iced tea smelled and tasted (don't ask) like Pete's pee. It's was just really nice and Pete thought that maybe things weren't going to change for the worse for once.  
__________________________________

Then again, Pete thinks a lot of things. Pete thought that Ryan had moved on, that he was with Brendon now. But when a happy Pete and Patrick returned home and found an anxious Ryan Ross outside their apartment, looking like he was about to walk away (he should have), things got a little more complicated. Patrick let them in without saying anything, Ryan quickly glancing to Pete as if to ask if it was okay but he was already walking in before Pete could muster up enough expression to respond.

Patrick gave Pete an identical 'is this okay' type look, and waited for Pete to sort of nod before he went to his room. Pete sat down and winced as Ryan sat in Patrick's chair.

"So...uh, hi." Ryan awkwardly broke the ice.

"Uhm, hey." Pete replied, shifting in his seat and pulling his shirt down a bit. Ryan watched Pete's hand closely.

"So, how're you..both?" It took Pete a moment to register.

"Oh..OH...Oh, we're fine..great even...I started feeling it kick today." Pete glanced up from his stomach to see Ryan almost beaming.

"You think I could feel it?"

"Well..it's like really, probably not..." Pete spoke as Ryan switched seats to sit next to him, reaching out and placing a firm, spindly hand over Pete's abdomen. "The baby isn't even kicking right now..."

"Oh.." Ryan mumbled, not moving his hand, instead he waited until Pete caught his gaze and leaned in, kissing him. Just lips, slow and lingering.

"Wha-what?" Pete bumbled after Ryan had pulled back. He watched Ryan shrug and look back at Pete's baby bump.

"Pete, if it's mine I have..you're right...okay, I have to take responsibility for this."

"No, it's..I mean..." Pete's head was swimming and he really didn't enjoy the migraine that was settling in.

"We can..we can try and make this work, Pete." Pete felt Ryan's fingers twitch over his stomach and the baby shift just enough for Pete to know it was there.

"What about Brendon?"

"What about him? He's Brendon..."

"Well...I mean....I thought you two were pretty serious..."

"Oh..yeah, I don't know. This is more important?"

"Ryan.."

"I mean, it's a baby, it's way more important."

"Ryan..."

"Yeah, sorry..?"

"I just, I need some time to think about this alright. You didn't want anything to do with it and now you're-"

"Now I'm pulling my head out of my ass? Considering the possibility that I might be a dad soon? That whether I am the dad or not I shouldn't just fuck you over like I had and...I mean I even read this baby book the other day, and I couldn't imagine going through any of that alone." Pete didn't respond immediately, he didn't know what he would say if he had. Pete wouldn't really want to wish experiencing this alone on anyone.

Pete finally took a deep breath before responding, "I need to think about things, I can't just....I don't know anymore Ryan..." Pete voice broke on Ryan's name and Ryan scoots closer, slipping his other arm around Pete's shoulders and Pete's chest tightened. "Can you not?"

Ryan sighed and pulled away, keeping his hands to himself. "Sorry..I just-"

"Just let me think okay....please...." He assumed rather than saw Ryan nod before the couch shifted and he heard Ryan walk to the door, pausing, but Pete didn't look to him. he just closed his eyes and waited to hear the click of the door being shut completely before he stood and went to his room. He stripped out of his day clothes and put on old sleep pants and a baggier shirt and slipped under his cold covers, trying to pass out before his thoughts got the better of him.  
__________________________________

In the morning Patrick wakes him up just to tell him that he's going to work and that if he needs anyone or to talk Pete can call, and Pete nods half awake before drifting back off for once. When Pete finally gets up it's almost 1pm and he has a missed call from Mikey, which he chooses to ignore and all he does all day is eat and watch crappy movies and text Ashlee just a bit, but she never answers, but it's okay. Patrick gets home around 7pm, which is earlier than he usually gets back at and Pete's kind of thankful because he didn't want to make food and Patrick graciously made Pete a big sandwich and even poured him tea and they both sat on the couch and watched the end of Empire Records and ate and laughed and Patrick didn't ask about Ryan and Pete was kind of thankful for it. Well, a lot thankful.  
_________________________________

The rest of the week and the next go accordingly, sleep in, do nothing, do nothing with Patrick and repeat. It's a little mundane, but Pete'll take it. Another doctor's appointment was coming up and Pete ended up calling his doctor twice before then only to be told twice that the baby was fine and probably hiccuping, which he was unaware would happen. Upon telling his mom this when she showed up to plan the baby shower, she also ended up buying him Pea in a Pod: Your Complete Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth & Beyond and made Pete agree to read it everything short of making him sign a contract.

The night before Pete's appointment Patrick was offering to drive him since it was his day off and Pete really didn't want to bother him with it, but after much 'no i am not arguing with you i am driving you pete', he finally agreed. After that, Patrick finally asked about Ryan, and Pete tried to explain it and mostly tried to sound neutral about it, aloof, he didn't care that Ryan cared or whatever. Patrick seemed to notice the act but didn't push it and instead made Pete go to bed, and Pete swears that Patrick stayed up way after Pete was tucked in, well at least as long as Pete lay awake before sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

The appointment is sort of exciting, he gets to see a lot more baby shape during the ultra sound and everything's going as it should. Patrick waits outside for most of it even though Pete said it was cool if he stayed, but he brushed Pete off saying his boss called or something. Pete was kind of amazed at the sound of a heartbeat whooshing quick as it played through the ultrasound. Pete stayed mostly quiet on the ride back to the apartment, a secret smile playing on his lips. Patrick kept asking about why he was so happy, and he wouldn't tell. Patrick kept trying to trick him into spilling the secret and Pete was about ti give in when they found a very disdainful looking Brendon knocking on their apartment door. Pete really has to stop letting people know where he lives, or waiting a few extra minutes before going home just in case he needs to avoid people.

Patrick sighed and let them in and went to his room, but this time Pete saw the door open a crack. Brendon asked how the baby was, but of course that's not why he was there. He also asked if he'd seen Ryan and Pete told him about Ryan's visit and had to stop in the middle when Brendon started crying and snotting all over Pete's nice shirt. Pete did his best to console Brendon until Patrick came back and saved him, telling Brendon that things would be okay, just try talking to Ryan and then he gave Brendon the sucker that Pete stole from the doctor's office and sent him on his way.

By then Pete's stomach was growling and he kind of got a banana and ran off to his room, hiding out on Patrick's laptop which he had stolen sometime last week out of boredom and e-mailing his mom back about how many people he expected for the shower. Patrick left him alone and he kind of almost wished he hadn't, but Pete would deal. His mom ended up replying with just more questions and reminding him that he should look into childbirth classes and he made a note to ask Ashlee where she'd gone to hers again.

After a few more day Pete finally called Mikey back, and they talked about a whole lot of nothing, 'Gerard's doing a bit better', 'Did you know babies hiccup inside you? And poop and stuff?', 'No I won't tell you what I got you for the baby shower, but yes I am coming', those things. Mikey had just called to check in and Pete liked having Mikey be a sort of voice of reason, even though through a series of drunken texts Gabe exuded last night, he was the voice of the universe and knew all and Pete should just listen to him for forever....Pete blocked Gabe's number after that, for a little while.

The baby hadn't stopped kicking all day and it was driving Pete crazy, crazy and in pain and stressed because apparently while he was asleep earlier Brendon showed up again asking about Ryan again and Patrick had to hug him before he would leave all of these things were unacceptable. Pete needed to relax, he deserved it, he suggested that Patrick rub his back, to which Patrick eventually huffed and gave into.

They sat cross-legged on Patrick's bed, listening to Patrick's stereo. Pete had his shirt partially pulled off, still around his arms and resting over his stomach, but baring his back and shoulders. Patrick's firm hands easing out the tight knots that had built up in Pete's muscles over the weeks. Pete might have been over exaggerating his pleasurable moans, but it made Patrick laugh at him and rub just a bit harder in the right spot so it might not have been overreacting by much.

Within minutes Patrick had reduced Pete into a pile of goo and he was slowly leaning back until Patrick had no choice but to let him rest against his chest.

"Why'd you stop?" Pete mumbled quietly, eyes closed as he shifted, letting his weight rest against Patrick.

"You're kind of in the way of your back." Pete didn't make to move and Patrick just let his arms wrap around Pete, resting just above the protruding bump of his tummy. Pete didn't ever want to move actually, he was an inch away from sleep and he was warm and relaxed and he felt safe. "You can't fall asleep like this or all the work I just put into you would have been pointless, you always complain about your neck if I let you sleep sitting up."

Pete didn't reply, he could feel the sudden movements inside him, knowing that if he moved Patrick's hands just a bit lower he'd feel them too. As if by telepathy, which is completely possible as a pregnancy symptom at this point as far as Pete's concerned, Patrick slides his hands over the bump during a particularly erratic feeling movement.

"Oh wow...."

"Yeah...he kicks pretty hard sometimes, but it's cool if misses my kidneys or whatever."

Patrick paused for a moment in his thoughts before asking, "He?" And he could almost hear Pete's lazy smile.

"Oh! Yeah....I forgot to tell you didn't I....it's a little dude in there." Patrick didn't say anything else, just let his hands lay over the bump for a few more minutes, almost letting Pete drift off.

"Pete....you really need to go to bed...you and the little dude."

Pete whined quietly, slowly sitting upright and scooting sideways to get a better look at Patrick, to thank him for the back rub before saying goodnight. Only, he looked at him and he saw a really sweet smile and pretty eyes and thought about how great a pillow Patrick is to fall asleep on and he meant to lean in, maybe nuzzle his neck with a half hug....but he didn't. He leaned in and pecked Patrick's lips once, and then twice and then a third time longer than either of the first. He pulled back to see Patrick still mostly smiling back, a little bashful now.

"Sorry...I was gonna hug you or something but your mouth got in the way...."

"I'm sure it did Pete...you should go to bed."

"Can I sleep in here?" Patrick looked down at his hands, fingers curling together in his lap.

"Pete...it's not-"

"The kiss thing is no big deal alright, I kiss all of my friends, you know that..hell that wasn't the first time we've kissed I don't think and so it's no big deal and I just- you're a really nice pillow and you make me feel safe..."

Patrick looked a little lost as he tried to catch up to Pete's words, "I'm not really tired, I was gonna work on a few demos in garage band maybe...and I don't want to keep you up."

"Oh...okay, it's cool." Patrick almost said something else as Pete pulled his shirt completely back on, automatically making sure it fit over his stomach before he left the room.

Pete wasn't actually as tired as he felt anymore, he stayed awake in the dark waiting to hear Patrick clicking on his laptop or strumming an acoustic or humming or anything but it never came. Pete fell asleep thinking about kissing Patrick again and the fact that the little fluttering in his stomach wasn't all baby-related....but it was no big deal.


	9. Chapter 9

Pete noticed that Patrick was completely unaffected by the kiss over the next few days. Which okay, Pete said it was no big deal, but that didn't mean he didn't want Patrick to be at least a little awkward or shy or something about it. He should at least compliment Pete's kissing skills or something, anything. But nothing is what he got on the subject.

Pete felt dizzy a lot and sat on the couch a lot and called or texted people, but they only really called or texted back to ask if he wanted to go do something; and he did but he couldn't. Pregnant life was starting to suck again when Patrick before and after work (being nonchalant) was his only company.

Ryan stopped by for a few minutes but it was awkward and most of the time was spent watching Pete eat a whole package of Oreos. The other part of the time was Pete telling Ryan that it was gonna be a boy and having Ryan look less enthusiastic than he should be. Pete almost felt like it was his fault he wasn't having a girl or a puppy or whatever it was that Ryan had been hoping for. When Ryan left it was with an air that made Pete assume he wouldn't be coming back anytime soon. All in all it put a damper on his dull day.

Patrick got home an hour later than usual, apologizing about some printing error that he had to fix and then how his car wouldn't start and offering to make Pete breakfast for dinner because he deserved it. Pete didn't decline even though he'd had a crappy tv dinner earlier for 'dinner' because pancakes and bacon were better.

About one syrup infused hour later Pete and Patrick were cuddled on Patrick's bed, watching a video on Patrick's laptop that Pete had been dying to show him. Patrick laughing at it ended up being funnier than the video itself this time around. Pete couldn't help laughing along until he got hiccups which only made him laugh more. Patrick put his laptop aside and laid back, looking comfortable if not a little worn out from the day and Pete couldn't help laying too, not on Patrick just next to him, trying to suppress the occasional disruptive jerk from the hiccups.

"Hey..." Patrick mumbled quietly, looking sideways to see Pete there.

"Hey yourself." Pete replied, before another hiccup hit him and he huffed at it. Pete waited for Patrick to say something else but he didn't, just stayed quiet and closed his eyes. A few more minutes passed by and Pete just kind of couldn't take it anymore and he scooted closer, hovering over Patrick, watching as his eyes flickered open.

"You're gonna kiss me again aren't you?"

"Uh-huh." Pete nodded.

"But it's not gonna be a big deal?"

"I don't know..." Pete answered honestly before leaning in and kissing Patrick. He shifted to lean over him, bracing himself on his elbow as one of Patrick's hands reached up and cupped the back of his head. The kiss deepened as lips parted, Pete barely letting up to breath from time to time. Pete only really knew that he didn't want to stop making out with Patrick and that his hiccups stopped, and that Patrick was pushing him back until the kiss broke and Pete was laid out flat on his back. Patrick took a second before leaning down and nipping at Pete's bottom lip which made Pete groan, he felt over-sensitized from the fucking months he'd gone without being with anyone else like this. It was just great, it couldn't get better only it did when Patrick's fingers brushed along the stretched skin above the low waistband of the boxers he'd had on all day.

He almost protested when Patrick's fingers didn't go lower, instead sliding up to kind of caress the bump as he let go of Pete's mouth, moving to to kiss along his jawline and neck, his thumb brushing lightly against Pete's skin and Pete swore his heart actually skipped. He let out a quiet gasp just in time for Patrick to suck on a sensitive spot just below Pete's ear and then Patrick's hand was sliding lower again. He made it hesitate just as his fingers curled under the elastic and Pete whispered, "Please." without meaning to but Patrick let his hand go under, palming Pete as he found the right grip. His mouth still working on small spots along Pete's neck and collarbone as Pete moaned, hips pushing into the grip.

Patrick pulled his hand away suddenly, sitting back and Pete literally sobbed before opening his eyes to see Patrick further down on the bed, looking up at Pete, a hand tentatively resting on his knee. "I...should I uhm...or...we can stop if this is-"

"If you're asking permission to blow me you're crazy, " Patrick's face fell and he almost pulled his hand away, "because why would I even turn that offer down okay?" Pete finished quickly.

"Okay awesome, rad....." Pete almost wanted to laugh at how relieved Patrick looked, but the fact that Patrick was nudging Pete's legs apart and pulling his boxers off and y'know, sucking his cock, he wasn't able to do much more than moan and whimper and try not to lose it this early because that would be completely lame.

Pete could swear Patrick had started touching himself too, the way on of his hands had suddenly disappeared from working on Pete along with his mouth. Pete glanced down to see, but he had this little hill obstructing his view so he just closed his eyes again as Patrick let him slip deeper, sucking tightly and Pete was on edge, well he'd already been there, but if he didn't say something soon he was going to make an ass out of himself.

"I'm...okay, I don't know your policy ahh-on...on people coming in your mouth b-bu-ohhh...fuck, okay..." Patrick only responded by sucking harder and moaning, Pete's hand clenching in the sheets and his back arched, orgasm overtaking him. Patrick pulled away pretty quickly afterward, leaving Pete to shiver slightly from the abrupt cold, eyes closed and panting. That was until he heard Patrick groan and then his forehead was presses against the side of Pete's knee, Pete was able to see Patrick's face now, flushed and slightly sweaty, he could see his arm moving quickly, working himself over the edge with another low groan, his slightly swollen lips making the perfect 'O' shape.

After a second of breathing and just feeling Patrick adjusted himself and laid next to Pete, staring at him like at any moment Pete would punch him in the face and yell at him. Instead Pete pulled the comforter over himself and tried to throw it over Patrick until he got the idea that they were going to cuddle and sleep. Patrick blinked at him a bit before realizing and he leaned over to turn the lamp off before curling up against Pete, a hand resting over the baby bump just in time to feel the slightest movement that made Pete laugh a little.

"He likes you...."

"Shut up..."

"Nah, he likes you and he likes that you made his dad a very happy man." There was a bit of a longer pause before Patrick replied again.

"Shut up..." A smile brightening the words. Pete didn't need to hear anything else, he was warm and sated and happy. He was happy and it wasn't a big deal, not really, and just then he felt like he was the luckiest guy in the world.  
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Pete wakes up with his stomach growling, the clock says he slept a good 9 or 10 hours but he feels like it was more. He yawns and stretches a bit, wincing at the dull ache in his limbs he's been dealing with for a couple weeks now. Sitting up it hits him that he and Patrick totally did it last night. Well, not 'it' it, but something it and it produced basically the same results as doing 'it' it.

Then Pete realized that Patrick wasn't home, he checked, just to be sure. He had a mini-panic attack before realizing that duh, Patrick had a real job and then he made a small freezer pizza because he didn't feel like breakfast foods and it was already past 12pm. He managed to burn his fingers and finish eating in less than half the time it took to make it, but whatever. He's attempting to ignore the frequency and amount of food he craves, because dwelling on it makes him think about his weight and that makes him sad and sad parents have fucked up kids or something. Then again his parents seemed pretty happy for how messed up Pete's life has been. He's going to try and not think about that either.

He has also noticed that his skin's itchier than usual, dry in places and if he bothered to go and flip through one of the pregnancy books his mom's given him he'd probably find that it was 'perfectly normal' and 'common' and some other bullshit that in no way makes him feel better. He texts Patrick to tell him that he should get Pete body lotion. He totally considers making that into a dirty joke about rubbing each other but he doesn't want to push anything.

When Patrick comes home later he has Pete's request and he doesn't act awkward, or like anything has changed between them, which is awesome. It's weird in it's own way, but awesome. It doesn't really mean they'd get to do it again though. Well, it didn't until Pete was going to put some lotion on and Patrick ended up offering to rub him down, which really, Pete wouldn't have laughed as hard at had he not been holding that innuendo inside most of the day.

He let's Patrick 'rub him down' though, after they finish laughing. It wasn't anything that big of a deal, it was more or less just another massage that Pete managed to fall asleep during.


	10. Chapter 10

Two weeks go by so peaceful that it's strange, well as peaceful as Pete's life can get. His mom calls him frequently, cooing over the baby's progress, he went to another ultrasound check up, and he's keeping in touch with Ashlee who is apparently very sleepy and very bored of being pregnant. Patrick is a bit cuddlier than usual and he hasn't slept alone unless you count naps on the couch or the nights Patrick works late. They haven't done much more than make out lazily and exchange a set of hand jobs, but it's more play than Pete's had in forever and probably more than Patrick's had too...Pete's not really sure, but he isn't one to ask for fear of ruining everything. Other than that, Pete feels the swelling, notices his bump growing and the altogether weight gain and maybe starts making an effort to eat more healthily, but almost not really, he isn't that bothered. In fact it feels like his emotions are balancing out, it's great. Truly, a great two weeks, but then partway into the week after those and that's when the proverbial shit hits the fan....or at least things start feeling like a bad soap opera again (and Pete knows bad soap operas, he has a lot of free time with the t.v.)

Pete's ready to go to bed, it's 11:45pm and Patrick isn't home yet but he should be soon, either way Pete's jaw popping every time he yawns is starting to piss him off. He stands up after turning the tv off and then there's a knock as the door. He thinks that possibly Patrick lost his apartment key, but no, he knows where the spare is and the knock is too ominous.

He opens the door with another yawn, eyes closing automatically as he let's a 'Hello?' trail off the end of it. He doesn't expect the low monotonous voice that answers, it cuts another yawn off before it starts.

"Sorry, is it late? I never mind...Pete, uhm, can we talk?" Ryan looked a little ragged, an old page boy hat covering up his unkempt hair, v-neck looking stained and out of place under his sport coat and scarf. There are also circles under Ryan's eyes that have nothing to do with makeup and he's got stubble that's at least two days old. Pete just nods and steps back, letting Ryan in, watching him sit politely on the couch and glance at Pete.

Pete shuts the door and sits down, staring at Ryan patiently, Ryan sighs and glances at his chewed fingers, Ryan doesn't usually bite his nails. "Pete....I think....I'm in love with you."

"No."

"Bu-...Pete, wait that's not.....I just sai-"

"I don't care what you said okay...Ryan..." Pete slid a hand over his stomach, "Uhm...just, look I don't-"

"Okay, you don't have to say it back, I just had to say it because last time I was here- I just want to be helpful or there for you, and like..I have totally not been doing well with how awkward everything got, just think about it, and you know where I am." As Ryan spoke he was standing and inching towards the door, eyes tentatively trained on Pete's hand. Pete opened his mouth to speak again but Ryan was already turning around and shutting the door. Pete sat there for a moment before yawning and and deciding to just go to bed.  
_________________

The days start going by in a bit of a blur, he can place ignoring Ryan's phone calls, and Patrick blowing him again after some coaxing, hanging out at Ashlee's and watching Melrose Place together as they complain about their various aches and swelling. The thing of the week other than Ryan showing up of course, would be Brendon showing up.

It was early in the day, Patrick has just left for work and then Brendon was pounding on the door, looking jittery as ever. He invites himself in, standing by the couch, not sitting, bouncing on the soles of his feet. "I don't mean to keep bothering you, but I mean...have you seen Ryan lately? Because I keep calling and no one answers and his neighbors said that they hadn't seen him and my key doesn't work anymore, I just....I don't know why he's ignoring me still....I'm just really kind of worried and it's been about two weeks now since I've tried calling though, I figured 'give him space', but now I'm more like 'report his missing person to the police', but I figured I'd ask you again first...."

Pete blinked sleepily at Brendon and sat down before answering, "He came by earlier this week....he wanted to talk to me again."

Brendon practically hopped down onto the couch, his attention rapt to Pete's words, "About what?"

"Uhh...about...." Pete hesitated, finally choosing not to tell Brendon about Ryan's newest revelation, "My baby."

"Oh..okay then." Brendon's brow creased as he glanced at Pete's protruding belly.

"Well...he wanted to...he just wants to be there y'know and he said some other stuff...since then I mean, he's called...he's not dead, is the point." Pete wrapped up his explanation lamely after seeing Brendon's face fall into a frown.

"Oh..oh...okay..did he mention me?" Brendon looked desperate for good news and Pete winced as he replied.

"No...I'm sorry, Ryan's just...." Pete sighed, looking around, trying to find the right word to use for him.

"He really is...." Brendon replied, voice quiet and emotionless as he stood up to leave, Pete grabbed Brendon's shirt, he wasn't sure why, he barely knew the kid and what he did know is that he hadn't really been helping. "Uhm...?"

Pete let go of his shirt, not sure what to say, the baby started kicking, "Uhm..you could like...stay and hang out maybe?" Pete smoothed a soothing hand over his stomach, pulling in a breath at a particularly well aimed kick. Brendon watched quietly before sitting back down, reaching a hand out, and hesitating.

"Can....is it really moving, like you can feel it outside now?" Pete nodded and moved his hand aside, watching Brendon's smile return just a bit as he placed his hand where Pete's had been, feeling the strange thud against his palm.  
____________

Brendon's not as bad as Pete imagined him in a hanging out situation, or at least not when he was being calm. They had a lot in common when it came to music and movies and he learned that Brendon had left home at 16 to become a hairdresser, which didn't work out that well. Pete could see why Ryan liked him, and planned on kicking Ryan's ass the best he could 5 and a half months pregnant until Ryan pulled his head back out of his ass (and seriously, how does he keep managing to get it back in there, and shoved so far too?).

Brendon apparently had met Ryan through Spencer, whom Pete's met before on awkward occasions when he stayed way late after a booty call. Spencer didn't seem like the type to hang out with Brendon, but he supposes people change. Patrick comes home earlier than usual, he also brought food which Pete is forever eternally grateful for. He eyes Brendon careful and confused, but Pete doesn't make a big deal out of it, he didn't tell Patrick about Ryan's last appearance. They end up talking about Patrick's acoustic that Brendon had been eying. Then they just start geeking out over music, but the fries he's eating make up for it.

When Brendon leaves, Patrick offers to massage Pete again, but Pete actually didn't do much of anything and doesn't feel that bad, but then he sees the look on Patrick's face and, "Oh..."

Patrick laughs and Pete let's him pull him off of the couch and into the bedroom. Patrick gets them both down to a shirt and boxers as they kiss, Pete's hesitant to take his shirt off, but once Patrick does he figures he might as well. He wants to just ignore the damn baby bump, but instead Patrick kisses it and murmurs something against his skin that he can't quite make out, he doesn't really care though with Patrick now palming over his cock. Pete whines and lifts his hips, he wants another blow job, Patrick's really good at that. Although Pete's pretty sure he owes Patrick blow jobs first or something, he used to have to keep a tally with Ryan so they could stay even and reciprocated but Patrick hasn't really bothered to get Pete to do more for him.

Patrick get's Pete's boxers off, stroking him, doing a couple things with his tongue, but hesitation, Pete looks down to see his stomach and part of Patrick's head, but he assumes that Patrick is thinking about something, which is distracting him from the task at hand, which is not cool.

"Uhm, hey dude?" Patrick makes a 'hmm?' noise just when he decides to take Pete in past the tip and Pete doesn't remember what he was gonna say. So he just kind of says, "Yes, okay, jesus" and "Please, Patrick" and that seems like a good enough combination of words. Pete was just really enjoying himself, hands fisted in the sheets, moaning when Patrick took him in deep, but then he felt Patrick's fingers drift low, under his balls, brushing against him softly but it made Pete tense up. Patrick pulled away and sat up, "I -I didn't mean.."

"No uhm..I just...." Pete didn't know what to say, Patrick was flushed, lips wet and red, tenting his boxers and Patrick could feel the want ebbing from Patrick, but at the same time, he didn't feel like that himself. He liked Patrick, loved getting off with him, but sex right now kind of worried him. He wasn't sure how that would work still, he'd asked Ashlee and she shrugged and that was that. "Can, we just...take it slow?"

Patrick stared at Pete for a long moment before laughing, Pete wasn't really into this anymore and he pulled a sheet over himself, sighing. Patrick quieted down and crawled up the bed, kissing Pete's cheek, "Hey, sorry..it's just....'taking it slow' and you're already pregnant, just..I-"

"Yeah I know, never mind, fuck me whatever-"

"Whoa, no, I'm not that kind of guy Pete." Pete looked at Patrick's honest expression, and felt a bit better, "Slow is fine." And he shrugged. Pete felt better for some reason, and he let Patrick kiss him again, it was slow and deep and nice, and at some point Patrick's boxers came off and he ended up under the sheets with Pete, laying down, touching each other until they got off and fell asleep almost immediately.


	11. Chapter 11

Pete's mom shows up later that week, he had forgot she was coming to finish planning the baby shower and then throw it. It took her a week to be happy with the decorations she had, and another week for her to constantly feed Pete healthy food and make sure his feet are elevated and make sure that Patrick feels uncomfortable. When she first got there Pete told her that she didn't have to sleep on the couch she can sleep in his room, which makes her question where he'd be sleeping, and then she realizes he'd been staying in Patrick's room. Which makes an awkward dinner conversation about their relationship.

Pete gets a stolen kiss here and there before bed some nights when Patrick's off work or gets home early enough, but this is kind of slower than Pete had meant to take it. He's not going to mess around with his mom in the other room though, not with these thin walls, not when he got way over his mom telling him to 'quiet down in there' after moving out. So Patrick seems a bit more distant, and starts staying late at work again. Although he and Pete's mom started getting along better, it almost seemed like they were hiding something from him, but he was probably just being paranoid. He was getting mood-swingy again and was thrilled and very upset about it.

The week of the shower Ryan calls and he answers without thinking, Ryan was worried and sincere and all that jazz, but he just uses the call to invite him to the party, hanging up after he accepts. He gets confirmed RSVPs from Gabe (and William), Travis is out of state on family business but he says to tell Gabe that he calls godfather, Mikey says he can come but that Gerard will tag along and Brendon practically shows up a day early after hearing Ryan will be there. Ashlee says she'd try and make it, but she's about ready to pop, but she wants to come. Pete realize belatedly that she didn't have a baby shower, that she didn't have a Patrick, he remembers her mentioning her sister looking after her but she wasn't always around. Pete decides that he's going to get Patrick to bring her and that she gets to have a present or two as well, it's only fair.

She's pleased at having a good day when the shower day comes, smiling and rolling her eyes when Pete and Patrick show up (mostly at Pete's shirt, a light blue with low writing stretched over his stomach reading 'I'm a babe'). She complains that she looks terrible and then she and Pete have their 'no I'm fat' fight before laughing and Patrick just kind of smiles and puts up with them.

Back at the apartment, his mom was welcoming people, and trying to keep Gabe out of the cake until Pete showed back up. When he did everyone shouted surprised for no real reason, Pete's mom face palmed and Ashlee told everyone to shut the fuck up because she had a headache, and that pissed Pete off a bit because it was his friends and his apartment they could be as loud as they wanted. Ryan hadn't shown up, which was odd and only added to his randomly pissed off self when Brendon kept checking to see if Ryan had shown up. He got over it though, when the party games came out. Guess how big around Pete is (Gabe won down to the centimeter and everyone was a little weirded out, but he got the first piece of cake), then Pete got to try and guess what his presents were before opening them, mostly failing. He got diapers from William right, Gabe gave him a mini-baby sized hoodie that probably wouldn't fit for awhile but it was great anyway, his mom got his the basics of bottles and towels and formula. He gets some other cute clothes, he gets something that is sparkly and pink from Gerard who didn't know the sex and shrugs before going on about gender norms and how it shouldn't matter what a baby wears. He ends up letting Ashlee have it because she's having a girl, and naming her Mariyah. Then everyone asks Pete what he's naming the baby and he just kind of shrugs and looks at the baby name book that his mom got him months ago that's been sitting on the shelf since. All he knows is that he's not naming him Gabe.

His mom takes a lot of pictures, which Pete hates, and he tries to delete them all because he looks pregnant and whatnot, she says he'll thank her later. Then the baby starts kicking, and Pete gets touched awkwardly by everyone, he makes them stop after Gabe starts singing to his stomach and the baby stops moving. It's only 8pm when everyone starts to leave, they want to party for real, he gets it, doesn't blame them, maybe he's a little jealous. Ashlee fell asleep on the couch, and his mom was packing to leave for home again, Pete just kind of wanted to sleep too, but then Patrick stopped him from going into his bedroom.

"Uhm, you're mom's still packing, don't want to bother her do you?" Patrick looked nervous, and it was a little unnerving to Pete as well.

"Uhh...I was gonna say bye to my mom and then nap, she shouldn't mind dude." Pete tried to step around Patrick, but he was pulled into a kiss instead. His brain kind of focusing on Patrick's lips and tongue and teeth and the way his belly bumped awkwardly against Patrick, though he didn't seem to mind with his hands sliding into Pete's hair. They stayed like that until Pete heard Ashlee giggling, and then Patrick pulled away blushing and glanced at her.

"Sorry, I interrupt something?" Patrick just shakes his head and steps out of the way as Pete's mom walks back into the room , quickly shutting the door behind her, not giving Pete a chance to figure out why he can't be in his own room.

"Guess this is goodbye to you both for now." She looked a little sad to leave, handing Patrick her luggage bag as she hugged Pete and the baby goodbye, Pete thanking her for the baby shower. She offered to drive Ashlee home, probably wanting to ask her more about her pregnancy to know what to yell as Pete about. After another two 'keep your feet up', 'eat plenty of green foods' she and Ashlee said goodbye again. Pete's mom winked at Patrick in a way that worried Pete after hugging him goodbye as well. They finally left, and Pete ended up sitting on the couch, Patrick in his chair, flipping idly through one of the randomly scattered baby books.

Pete scooted closer to Patrick, smiling, watching as Patrick lowered the book of '301 baby names and what they mean', "What?"

"Why can't I go in my room?" Patrick shrugged.

"No one said you couldn't." Pete almost jumped up, but not really, more like struggled to stand up and pulled a funny face and had to support his back, but that's beside the point. He walked quickly to his room, the room he hadn't done more than get some clothes out of in the past few weeks, he heard Patrick get up to walk closer to Pete as he opened the door.

Inside his room, everything was a lot cleaner, his mom had made his bed and put away dirty clothes in the hamper for once, but that wasn't what Pete had meant to be looking for. What he did need to see was the crib in the corner, star pattered sheets and matching bumpers, a stuffed white rabbit witting inside. Pete stepped further into the room, touching the side of the crib carefully like it might not actually be there, or he was imagining it. He glanced up to see Patrick shyly standing in the doorway, and then he realized he was crying. Fucking hormones and shit.

"Pete, I...I'm sorry....I mean, your mom helped pick it out a-and if you don't like it I can probably take it back, but it took forever to put together an-"

"No hey, how..how'd you like, even afford this?" Pete asked, sniffling a bit and trying to wipe his eyes inconspicuously.

"Well, I took extra shifts, I mean...it's no big deal."

"It's kind of a big deal, Patrick." Patrick just shrugged again and stepped closer.

"So you like it?" Pete had turned away because his tear ducts didn't seem to understand that they could stop now, he leaned over the crib and picked up the stuffed bunny, it was fluffy and soft and had a blue ribbon tied around it's neck.

"Yeah...yeah I love it....I-thank you, Patrick. You really didn't nee-"

"You welcome, now shut up." Pete smiled and set the toy back down, sniffling a bit again before turning and pulling Patrick into as tight a hug as he could manage, he might also wipe his nose on Patrick's shirt.

"Ew, Pete..." Patrick pulled away, making a face as he glanced at his shoulder, and Pete just laughed, and leaned against the crib.  
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Over the next week Pete sees the doctor again (the baby is doing great, and so is Pete apparently) and signs up officially (if not a little late) for childbirth classes, mostly for something to do, the information is all in the books he's got (which Patrick reminds him, he still hasn't read). He has classes on Patrick's day off, which is great because then Patrick can drive him there and pick him up so he doesn't have to bug Mikey or God forbid Ryan to do it. Ryan has called since, getting Pete's voice mail, apologizing for not being at the shower and then again with a long prose that he'd written himself that ran on probably long after the message cut off. Pete's first class, Patrick walks him in because he has nothing better to do either, and he ends up staying through the orientation for newcomers. He even stays and sits with Pete as the instructor talks about the male and female birthing processes, holding Pete's hand when the pictures of C-sections get passed around. The rest of the class is them talking to other expecting parents. Ashlee has mostly stopped going, she was in a weird mind state and apparently felt ready and knowledgeable enough for having a baby, not to mention her old boyfriend was trying to get back with her, Pete sympathized.

After the second class Pete goes to, Patrick deciding to tag along again, he's starting to feel like he can't really do this. He might have a breakdown, in the middle of the night when he can't sleep, and he wakes Patrick up crying and telling him that he doesn't want to have a baby. Patrick doesn't slap him but he thinks about it, he just holds Pete and shushes him, lightly rubbing his belly, reminding Pete that's he's made it so far and that he's gonna be a great dad. Pete realizes as he starts to drift off that he might be a little in love with Patrick.


	12. Chapter 12

Pete feels Braxton-Hicks contractions for the first time the next day and he has another panic attack, during Patrick's lunch break, and Patrick ends up taking the rest of the day off to spend with Pete and keep him calm. Pete is not used to feeling pain like that, coming so sudden and cramping everywhere. He's worried as hell that he might have to go to the emergency room, or that he might lose the baby, and Patrick reminds him that just the other night he didn't want to have a baby anymore, and instead of getting Pete to realize that he does love his baby he just makes Pete feel like a shitty person. Pete had decided not to shower, even though he could use it, because he didn't want to have more contractions and then fall in the shower and die, but then Patrick offered to shower with him and how could Pete refuse?

15 minutes into the shower, Pete starts kissing Patrick every now and then, Patrick just keeps washing Pete and himself. He doesn't bring up his body image issues, even though he still doesn't believe that Patrick doesn't care about the stretch marks or the weight gain or the fact that Pete hasn't really been able to trim the hedges so to speak. When they're clean enough, and Patrick turns the water off and helps Pete over the edge of the tub, Pete doesn't let up on his more and more frequent Patrick kisses.

Patrick tries to towel them off but Pete doesn't really let up, and then he's pulling Patrick through the apartment to their room, still naked and wet. Patrick seemed to have caught up with the program though. He pulled away to let Pete scoot back onto the bed before crawling onto it with him and letting them kiss again. They press touches against each other's water cooled skin, slowly warming each other up, one of Patrick's legs slides over and in between Pete's, pressing himself closer, making Pete gasp, wanting him even closer and partially cursing his distended belly for not being able to have Patrick right there. Then he thinks that he can have him closer, in a way, "Patrick?"

"Hmm?" is all he replies, mouthing Pete's collarbone at the time.

"Patrick, can we...do you want to?" Patrick lifts his head up, staring down at Pete.

"Do I wanna what? C'mon, if you can get pregnant you can say it." Pete huffs, but smiles.

"Do you maybe wanna...have sex? Like...y'know." Patrick rolls his eyes, but replies with a smile.

"Yes Pete, I like y'know wanna have sex with you...if..." Patrick's brow furrows glancing at Pete's stomach, "Uhm not sure..."

"We'll figure it out...together, it'll work." Patrick nods and leans down to kiss Pete again, and Pete's heart skips a bit in anticipation, when Patrick pulls away he asks, "So, condom, lube?"

"Uhh..uh yeah." Patrick nods, obviously trying to think really hard. he pulls away, to Pete's displeasure, running across the room to his desk, digging through it until he finds a bottle of lube, which he obviously knew was there, but then he keeps digging around, cursing himself.

"You okay over there?"

"Yeah I just," Patrick turns around and comes back to the bed, "I uhm, i don't have any condoms...and if I did they're probably expired...."

"It's cool, I'm clean....and well...pregnant so..." It takes Patrick a second before he catches on.

"Oh...uhm...really? Okay sure that..okay." Pete laughs lightly at Patrick as he pushes Pete's legs apart and opens the lube, looking up to check Pete's expression.

"I feel like we're playing doctor, is that weird?" Patrick makes a face at Pete as he slides a slick finger along the crease of Pete's thigh, going lower.

"Uhm, a bit....I might have some rubber gloves somewhere if you're into that..." He sounds serious and focused as he presses the tip of his finger against Pete's entrance, slowly pushing forward. Pete shivers, a little breathless in his response.

"N-not really into that, just saying..." Patrick responds by bending down and taking Pete between his lips as he works a finger into Pete, and Pete kind of moans around, "Doesn't feel like a doctor's appointment anymore, ohmygod."

Patrick hums appreciatively, pulling off to make sure it's okay before he adds another finger and Pete vaguely remembers the handful of times he's been in this position and how it's not as bad as he remembered, the stretching slow burn and build up. Patrick repeats the process of adding another finger and Pete's breathing is starting to hitch each time Patrick presses further in. Patrick's not even blowing him anymore, he's watching carefully as his fingers disappear in and out of Pete. After another couple minutes, Pete tells Patrick that he's ready and Patrick just as carefully removes his fingers, leaving Pete feeling weird but still wanting Patrick closer.

Patrick's sitting back on his heels, looking critically at the situation and Pete sighs and turns himself over, using their pillows to try and get comfortable, and not feel like he's smushing his baby. He ends up with his ass pretty high in the air, but that's kind of the point. When he feels Patrick behind him, sliding his hands along Pete's hips he shivers again, he's felt that before he thinks, probably with Mikey, he's missed that feeling. After he tells Patrick that 'yes, he's fine please put your dick in me now', Patrick finally does, sort of. He starts terribly slow as he presses in, giving little shallow thrusts until he gets deeper and finally bottoms out. Pete's relaxing himself the best he can, and simultaneously trying not to shout that he's having sex to their apartment neighbors. When Patrick starts really thrusting though, as much as Pete's loudly enjoying it, he shifts against the pillows, his stomach pressing down and he freaks out and tell Patrick to, "Stop, Stop! Stop Patrick."

"Shit, jesus I mean, oh my god, Pete talk to me are you alright?" Patrick pulled out a bit quicker than Pete would have liked, but he's leaning over, pushing Pete's bangs out of his eyes and Pete kind of let's himself fall back onto his side, sighing.

"I'm fine, I just freaked out because..." he glanced towards his stomach and Patrick's face was of concern and slight frustration and Pete didn't blame him. "I didn't want to stop though...."

Then Patrick smiled again, moving and kind of crawling over to lay behind Pete, Pete's confused until Patrick presses closer and mumbles, "I got an idea....trust me?"

Pete makes a vaguely agreeing noise, feeling Patrick presses back into him, and Pete might just love him a whole lot and this position and how close Patrick is. He slides a hand from Pete's hip to Pete's belly for a moment before he gets the rhythm completely going, and Pete feels like this is something more intimate than sex should be, but he doesn't question it. He just focuses on the way Patrick feels inside him, how his hand feels wrapping around him, the sound of Patrick's quick breathing against his ear. Pete's getting closer, he's pretty sure Patrick is too even though he's been so quiet aside from his breathing. Pete's pushing back against Patrick's hips with every thrust, lost in in all the sounds and touches, when Patrick whispers low and breathy into his ear, "God, I love you."

And Pete loses it, coming with a sharp gasp, then he hears Patrick make a high pitched noise behind him, but still close to his ear, it trails off in vibrato and Pete thinks that the sound is familiar. He's heard Patrick come before, but he's never made that sound that he can remember. When Patrick pulls out and kisses Pete's neck, Pete's still trying to figure out if he's heard Patrick make that noise when he's caught him masturbating before, or if he did in fact make it when they'd messed around before, but it wasn't fitting right. "You're thinking too loud Pete, you okay?"

"I'm fine..." Pete keeps thinking though, not able to relax and fall asleep, even with Patrick pressed up against him, rubbing soothing circles low on Pete's belly. It's just clawing at something in the back of his mind, but Patrick starts humming some song Pete feels like he knows but doesn't have lyrics or a beat for, but it's nice, almost a lullaby.

He's starting to lose himself in the sound, not directly thinking about the noises Patrick made when he came, when it hits him. Hard in the chest, sending a cold feeling through him even though he's cuddled and warm. He pulls away from Patrick and sits up so suddenly his heads spins.

"Pete, what's wrong?" Patrick sits up too, watching Pete carefully like he might have to catch him or call 911.

"Patrick..Patrick I-you....You." Pete's words turn from confusion and shock to anger in no time flat, he doesn't get it, why the fuck wouldn't Patrick tell him, why the fuck did it happen in the first place?

"I, I, me what, Pete?" Patrick smiles slightly, trying to be playful, but he knows.

"You know....you fucking knew...you're.....you're a goddamn bastard." Pete standing up and pulling on the nearest pair of his pants he can find, vision blurring with inconvenient tears. He's got a shirt on before he looks back at Patrick, who had stood and pulled on a pair of his old sweats that Pete had stretched out some. He was looking at Pete, finally showing an expression that he knew, and not looking particularly pleased with himself.

"Pete just, I need to talk to you."

"No, fuck you, fuck all of this, I am so sick and tired of people needing to talk to me, people telling me that they love me when they've been lying to me, and hiding shit like this."

"I didn't hide it intentionally." Patrick looks honest, but Pete's hurt and so he just grabs a hoodie and slips on his shoes and turns to leave.

"Fuck you." He just wants to say it over and over again until it hurts, he grabs his phone and slams the door to the apartment, he hears Patrick calling after him, but he's walking down the street, ignoring the suddenly too familiar pain in his backside, he manages to dry his eyes long enough to call Mikey, and get him to pick him up.


	13. Chapter 13

Mikey makes Pete a cup of decaf, and sits up with him even though it's almost 1am now. They're back on his bed, and he feels like he's trying to tell everyone he's pregnant again, except this isn't that time and Mikey's managed to find sheets that didn't have a comic book hero or geeky movie design.

"C'mon, talk....I don't mind visits, but this is obviously something more than that."

"He knew....he knew the whole time."

"Okay..." Mikey replied, "You said that, now, can you tell me who knew and what maybe? I'm kind of behind here."

"Patrick knew.....he...he fucking fucked me and knocked me up when I was black out drunk and he....he knew it..." Pete shudders to think Patrick could do something like that, "He took advantage of me and then...and then felt guilty and that's the only fucking reason he's even been helpful or-God I can't believe..." Pete shuts up before he starts crying again. He looks up to see Mikey staring blankly at his walls with a confused and shocked expression, Pete knows how that feels.

"Are you sure?"

"Well...yeah."

"Like, he told you that he knew and that it was him?"

"Uhm...not in so many words." Mikey's expression of quiet judgement was back in place and Pete balanced the coffee mug on his stomach and ignored it.

"You're a dumbass."

"He's an asshole..."

"Yeah, maybe, but you're definitely a dumbass, whether or not he's an asshole." Mikey sipped at his own coffee, and Pete glanced at the clock and yawned.

"I'm a tired dumbass...." Mikey pull Pete's cup from his hands, frowning at he set it on the bedside table, probably mourning over the lack of it being drank, he's weird about his coffee. He let Pete snuggle against him and fall asleep there, but as comfortable as he was, Pete didn't really sleep all that well or all that much, but it was something.  
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Pete turns his phone off and stays at Mikey's for a few days, Mikey said it was fine and he was kind of used to taking in strays. Gerard flipped him off at that. He tries to not think about Patrick or Ryan or anyone really but himself and his baby.

At some point Gerard and Mikey start suggesting names; Luke, Bruce, Maxamillion, Bandit, Shelton, Bob. Alternating Mikey and Gerard....Gerard seemed to be stuck on B names, Mikey was stuck on god knows what.

Mikey goes with him to his next childbirth class, and everyone there kind of seems cold to him, like they know or like he's betraying Patrick, which is just ridiculous. Mikey just acts really uncomfortable, which didn't help anything.

After a week of only wearing the same clothes, Pete gets Gerard to drive him to his and Patrick's apartment. He's pretty sure Patrick's at work, and he knows where their spare key is hidden. He gets inside easily enough, intending on packing a bag and leaving, but when he walks into his room and sees the crib sitting there he just kind of stops. He sits on the end of his bed and stares at the crib, like it's supposed to tell him something, and in a way it does.

He calls Gerard to tell him that he doesn't need to be picked up. He finds 5 missed calls from Ryan, but only one from Patrick, he didn't leave voice mail, it makes everything potentially more ominous. He watches tv, the irony of Look Who's Talking being the only thing on isn't lost on him. Patrick comes home at 8pm. He doesn't look like he's bothered shaving, and he looks like he hasn't been sleeping either. Pete feel instantly guilty from the confused and sad and hurt that comes through Patrick's gaze as he sits in his chair and stares at Pete.

"Talk." Is all Pete says, and it sounds more than pleading.

"Okay..." Patrick sighs and looks down at the floor, collecting his thoughts, " We had sex before....we...You were drunk, I knew it okay....but I'd had some to drink myself, I...I was sad and I was drinking too when you would go out, you never even invited me and I just....I took the opportunity. It's not like it was all my fault, you were all over me and I...I shouldn't have Pete, and you have..no idea how sorry am I am."

"You should be sorry....and that doesn't explain why you didn't say anything."

"God, you just....How was I supposed to tell you? You didn't really seem like you were in a mood to be told that 'by the way, we had sex last night' when you got up the next day....I...I don't know and then I waited too long, and I was going to tell you but then you told me you were pregnant." Patrick had an unnerving undertone of hysterics to his voice. He leaned forward, his head in his hands, "I didn't know what to do....so I just...I did what I could to help."

Pete had a thousand and one things to say, but he couldn't get any of them out except for, "I love you too."

"I'm pretty sure that's not the right response but okay." Patrick was looking at Pete now.

"Uhm...I forgive you? I....I miss you."

"You should still probably punch me in the face or something."

"I...I'll save that for some other time." Pete half smiles at Patrick. Although he was less than thrilled about how it happened, and less than thrilled about the way he figured it out, he was kind of relieved to know this wasn't some strangers kid too.

Patrick nods, "So....how've you been?"

Pete fills hi in on the past week or so, Patrick insists on taking Pete out for dinner, they'd never been on a real date before and Patrick wanted to make up for everything he did wrong. Pete was just kind of happy that Patrick shaved because he'd kissed Pete and Pete is not into stubble.

Pete doesn't want to think about the past as much as he wants to think about the future anymore. He figures that the damage is done, and all things considered the damage is gonna be something beautiful. Pete sleeps curled up against Patrick, dreaming up nightmares anyway, dreaming about losing the baby that it isn't really a baby at all but some strange demon, but he doesn't dwell on it when the sun comes up. He looks at Patrick in the half light, and thinks that if it is a demon of any sort it's from Pete's side, because Patrick is really anything but.  
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The next month is filled with getting back into the routine of things, with added fun pains and cramps and uncomfortable things from being pregnant for Pete. Patrick's there though, and it doesn't feel different that he's there still now that Pete knows, but he supposes that's because Patrick really was doing everything he could to help before as much as he is now. Patrick took responsibility if not a little sneakily at first, so things were nice. He was visiting the doctor more often as he was getting closer to his due date. Two very interesting things happened that month as well; one being that Ryan showed up as requested by Pete, and Pete had already called Brendon over. He explained everything to them and made Ryan apologize and made sure they kissed and made up and everything.

The other big thing, kind of biggest thing was that he was casually hanging out at Ashlee's house while Patrick was at work, and then her water broke. He got to ride in an ambulance and have Ashlee scream at him, which was both fun and not fun. She called her sister after they got her some pain meds, and she ended up calling her ex-Craig to come too, "He's the father, might as well come see this shit."

When her contractions started in though, that was scary, Pete didn't want to go through that. When she actually delivered he went and sat in the hall, called Patrick, waited some more, but then he heard a baby crying, and his own starting to move around a bit, it was strange. Visiting hours were almost over when Patrick showed up, Ashlee was asleep and so was her daughter, so he just said bye to her sister and her re-boyfriend and left.

Pete had spent a bunch of time waiting outside in the sort of waiting room, reading through National Geographics and New York Times, and he was pretty sure he knew what he wanted to name his baby now.....the only thing left was getting the name past Patrick.  
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"You want to name our kid after a borough in New York." Pete couldn't help smiling at the 'our' part.

"Doesn't it sound cool though?"

"Pete."

"C'mon, Gerard was giving me all these B names and the-"

"But Bronx, Pete, really? Honestly? This...Pete."

"Yeah, isn't it great?" Pete kept smiling, he knew he'd charm Patrick into the name, just like he charmed Patrick into rubbing his feet.

"We'll see....but if that happens I definitely get to pick the middle name."

"Oh, but if it's Bronx I already have a middle name picked out, and I'm thinking Jungle Book." Patrick groaned and mumbled an 'oh god' under his breath, but kept massaging Pete's foot. Pete considers that a win.


	14. Chapter 14

Seven weeks left, Pete thinks, just 7. It seems like it should fly by, but instead those weeks feel like the longest since conception. It turns out that Patrick had been saving up his money, and Pete felt a bit guilty about it, which Patrick said he shouldn't, he was going to help whether he liked it or not.  
They got a few more things to prepare for the baby, and Pete mostly tried to keep from feeling sick or getting headaches.

He's getting bigger, way bigger than before it seems, or at least he's getting bigger faster. Patrick insists on taking a picture of his belly from the side, in the way his mom wanted him to remember his baby shower.

The Braxton-Hicks contractions have been showing up more frequently, but they still go away and every expert he asks says it's normal and all the books he'd neglected to read say the same. Ashlee brings baby Mariyah over, she looks like she hasn't slept since her birth, but at the same time she couldn't look happier about it. Pete complains about his pains and she just kind of laughs and tells him to wait for labor.

Pete's mom calls a lot more often, trying to figure out when he's gonna pop so she can be there, he tells her he's due in late November sometime, he can't remember the exact date. He can hear her roll her eyes through the phone.

Pete's been getting clumsy, walking or standing or sitting, but it's okay because Patrick's there. To keep him from falling off a stair step, from slipping in the shower, and from feeling like he's a terrible person and just going to be the worst dad ever. Patrick's a good pick me up, and Pete's pretty sure that there would have been no way to do this without him there.

Pete was feeling a bit like a beached whale by the next week, stuck in bed or on the couch for the days that passed. He and Patrick hadn't really revisited the intimate nights they'd shared since they'd talked and started working things out, not to say they didn't feel like it, it was just even more difficult now. They tried once or twice, successfully, but it was a lot of work and they had to get pretty creative about it. Mostly Patrick just tried to huge Pete and snuggle with him and remind him that he was still hot and attractive, even 8 months pregnant.

With about a month to go, Pete was getting bored of going to the doctor's and Patrick was trying to get time off work. Pete, despite his size and various aches and pains didn't want to lay or sit anymore, instead when Patrick was at work, or not looking he was tidying the apartment up here and there, he even attempted cooking, but managed to knock things over with his stomach, getting macaroni to spill all over the floor, and then have to let Patrick clean it up later.

Patrick spent some of his free time with Pete playing his old guitar, playing the same tune Pete seemed to remember him humming once or twice, and every time he did, Pete felt calmer and the world didn't feel so scary. He even started making up words to go along with it, and eventually got Patrick to sing them back. Sometimes, when Patrick couldn't fall asleep from his own nervousness, Pete would ask him to sing it for him, and it'd calm them both down and they could sleep.

Pete packs a hospital bag, like the one he'd had to grab for Ashlee. He probably over packed, he always does. His mom was on her way, early just in case. The Dr.Ruth assure Pete that his baby boy is almost ready to come say hello to the world, Pete likes how she talks. It was his last appointment before his supposed due date. Patrick had the car seat Pete's mom got him in his car before Pete could remind him, telling Pete to just relax. Pete was maybe trying to walk around more, because he'd heard it induced labor, but he doubted it'd work for him, he always had to have his patience tested.

Pete has a false alarm, in which Patrick rushes Pete to the hospital, only to have doctors tell him that he needs to rest in a different position, and to try again in a few days. Pete doesn't think it's funny, he felt like he was going to die, but at least he knows that Patrick needs to work on being less freaked out and that he needs to know where his pants are at all times.

They both have trouble sleeping the next week, Pete has to get up and pee a lot and Patrick is nervous and worried, but not for Pete as much as for his part of the deal of getting Pete there and being there for him and the whole concept of being a dad. That kind of scares them both, but they won't admit it.

It's a long week, such a long week. A week full of Patrick rushing and tripping over himself every time Pete makes a noise that sounds like he might be in labor (which includes burping, sighing and hiccuping). They both try and sleep and just be patient and not freak out, which is a ridiculous goal and will never happen, but they try. All in all things have been going well, and things should only be looking up from there.


	15. Chapter 15

It's 3am on November 20th, and Pete's been laying in bed for the past hour with cramps, but he doesn't want to wake Patrick up. At around 4am, he realizes that this is it, this is the moment we've all been waiting for, raise the stage curtains and turn on the spotlight because this baby is coming to put on a show. He wakes Patrick, and Patrick is disoriented until he catches up to what's going on.

"Baby?"

Pete nods at him in the light from the beside lamp, "Uhuh, ow, oh ow, baby, yeah, yep." Pete's in pain and Patrick's panicking again, but they're smiling.

Pete gets his pants on, and Patrick gets their things and they drive to the hospital. Pete makes Patrick sing for him on the way there, no their lullaby as much as a medley of Michael Jackson and Usher, but it keeps Pete's mind off of the sharp stabbing pains he's feeling every 8 or 9 minutes.

It feels like forever until they get Pete in a hospital bed, his mom was supposed to show up later that day. Perfect timing really. He calls Gabe, because he promised he would, and the doctors said it would be awhile. Gabe has a hangover, and it's 6am, but he assures Pete that 'Uncle Gabe' will be there later. Then they wait.

Patrick and Pete almost fall asleep, almost being the operative word. Considering that, even with pain meds, Pete's not really resting with the pain, and the doctors don't want to take him in for surgery just yet.

His mom gets there after she calls and asks where they are, about 45 minutes after she gets there though, they have to take Pete in. He's scared as shit, after all he's been through this feels like a weird dream, but Patrick holds his hand as long as he can, and Pete thinks he hates needles, and definitely hates scalpels, but he likes whatever they've got on a drop for him.

He's mostly awake through it, he doesn't feel anything, well that's an understatement, he feels a lot of things, but no real pain. After a few minutes, he hears crying, and he's so out of it and so tired and worn out that he almost cries himself.

They let him hold his son for a few moments before they have to go clean him up, and clean Pete up, and Pete might cry a little because he barely got to glance at him before he was being taken away again. He falls asleep in recovery.  
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He wakes up, to the sound of crying, he's back in his room, and when he opens his eyes and looks at his stomach, the bump is gone. Well, it's not gone, his mom is holding it. "Hey there." Patrick's at his bedside, holding his hand.

"We did it." Pete celebrates weakly.

"Yeah..." Patrick looks like he probably has had too much coffee to stay awake, and he's gonna hate the crash, but then his mom is handing over his baby. He definitely has Patrick's eyes, and lighter whisps of hair, and he's chubby and pink and has all his fingers and toes.

"They had me put his name on the birth certificate." Patrick says as he pushes the tiny blanket away from the tiny cooing face, "That is Bronx Mowgli Wentz, and if he gets beat up at school, you're gonna have to handle the ass kicking."

Pete just laughed, and Bronx squirmed, and Patrick smiled.  
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Pete's dad had come with his mom as a surprise. He and Patrick got along well enough, and Patrick's parents were flying in eventually as well. Over the next few days all his friends stop by to catch a glimpse of the baby. Gabe didn't get to hold Bronx for too long, not after he started whispering to him in Spanish. William was in love with him, and Pete has a feeling that Gabe might have to 'end up marrying Will and giving him lots of little babies' sooner than he'd expected. Travis is made godfather and Bronx looks a bit shocked when he looks around while being up so high when Travis holds him. Mikey and Gerard fight over what they think his first movie should be, and Pete thinks it's great. Ashlee comes by too, Mariyah and Bronx deal with a photo shoot, courtesy of Pete's mom. Ryan and Brendon stop by for a few minutes, Brendon almost dies when he sees baby, and Ryan just smiles at it and wishes Pete and Patrick well.

Pete realizes that he won't be able to go back to his partying lifestyle, that he has to actually grow up a bit (a lot). In some ways that terrifies him, but just like the idea of having a baby terrified him before he held his son in his arms, he supposes growing up will always be scary until he's grown up. He thinks he'll make it as long as he's got his friends, and his son, and Patrick though.

"So, when are you gonna marry me?" Patrick scoffs lightly at the idea, but replies.

"Whenever you want."

"I love you two." Pete smiles as he speaks towards the newborn in his arms before glancing up at Patrick.

"I love you two, too." And he bends to kiss Bronx on the cheek, and then kisses Pete the same, no big deal. Yeah, Pete thinks as he and Patrick smile down at their son, this is gonna be a piece of cake.

Bronx starts crying.


End file.
